Unforgiven
by Totodile158
Summary: While Odin is asleep, Loki discovers magic on Earth, and gets a second chance at world domination. Thor does what he thought was the right thing, Frigga gets the daughter she always wanted. As a result of the NY attack 3 magical children grow up during the greatest upheaval since the international statute of secrecy. Dark Harry/TMR Pre-Hogwarts AU Canon Divergent after Avengers I.
1. Prologue

_Prologue_

Odin sat upon his golden throne watching with his remaining good eye as his people bustled about chattering in merriment around the grand hall. Dinner had just finished. The palace staff busied themselves with clearing the tables. Musicians and dancers took their places in the hall while the diners got up to help themselves to the casks of mead and wine set out by the help. This night's grand banquet was held in his honor. He had just woken up from his longest Odinsleep. A miracle they had declared, but a regret for Odin. His time here was done and longed to rest with his ancestors in Valhalla.

The soft smooth hand of his wife gasped his comfortingly. He looked over at her beautiful face. "Are you well, my dear?" Frigga asked in concern.

He patted her hand, "as well as a million year old man would be." Ever since he woke he felt mortal, ready to die, but he just didn't know how.

His response did little to assuage her worry. Every year that passed while he was asleep, she lost hope of his revival. When he woke his hair was whiter than before and his stature smaller having lost some of weight while he slumbered over the years.

Odin pounded Gungnir. The thudding sound echoed through the hall silencing everything. Odin gripped his staff tightly pulling himself to his feet. Only Frigga noticed the slight struggle or how he leaned a little too much on his staff to support himself. No longer a young god, but his presence and voice still commanded legions and stopped his enemies in their tracks.

"Asgardians, I have been asleep for over a decade. The longest Odinsleep I have ever undertaken." Odin figured he would get the announcement out of the way before his subjects drank themselves into a stupor as was common in these revelries. "I did not know when or if I would wake. But thanks to my beautiful wife and queen, who ruled in my absence, you were not led astray."

There was a round of applause to acknowledge Frigga.

"Thor, my son," Odin continued after the applause died down.

Everyone's eyes fell on Thor, who stood with the Warriors' Three.

"You have made me so proud. I have watched you grow from a boy to a juvenile, arrogant, warmongering fool then a helpless mortal to a redeemed hero, a protector of the realm, and finally someone worthy enough to be called my son."

Thor crossed his arms not really sure how take the double edged compliment his father just served him.

"So it is only fitting that I relinquish my throne to you," Odin announced.

The resounding applause and cheers drowned out the rest of what Odin was going to say so he sat back down. They will come to a consensus as to when the coronation would take place with his council another time. He reached for Frigga's hand and pressed a kiss to it. She withdrew her hand and walked away without a word.

* * *

Thor pushed past the numerous people congratulating him nodding and accepting their kind words graciously, but hastily until he reached the exit of the hall. Crossing the threshold into his mother's garden he found who he was looking for. Standing with her back to him, she drank from the bottle in her hand, which she had stolen from the banquet. She began to walk albeit unsteadily from probably the alcohol Thor had thought along the edge of the fountain. Before he could call her name she turned around.

"Congratulations, my king," Hermione bowed her head curtsying wobbly and nearly dropping the bottle in her hand.

He closed the distance slowly taking her appearance in. Frigga had wrangled her hair into a stylish up do, which it actively fought. Strands of her honeyed brown locks had already escaped. She wore a full length gown. A skirt made of soft gauzy layers. The sky blue color complimented her light complexion, while the sweetheart neckline and jeweled bodice accentuated her soft curves reminding him that she was no longer a little girl. Magic or not, mortals lives were fleeting and passed much quicker than he would like. If they were not ravaged by disease or their fragile bodies were not hurt beyond repair, they were lucky to live even a century. "Not yet," Thor responded, "I'm not king yet."

She walked away from him arms extended balancing on the rim of the fountain. Her feet were bare having already kicked off her shoes. "But you will be." She took another swig from the bottle. A few more and she might just strip off this uncomfortable gown and go swimming in the fountain on this pleasantly warm spring night. Maybe she could persuade Thor to join her. "Then you will need to find a queen. A proper Asgardian of course, so you can create an heir to continue the line, while I will be cast aside."

Thor easily caught up with her as she continued to rant. Standing on the edge of the fountain, she was still not quite as tall as him. The top of her head just reached his chin. He glanced behind him. It was just the two of them under the stars. "Hey," he tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear his fingers grazing the soft skin of her cheek. His hand trailed down her bare arm before resting on her waist. "As long as I'm here, there will always be a place for you here as well."

Focusing on the ground, she sighed tiredly, "you know I don't belong here."

"That's not true. Asgard will always be your home." He tilted her chin up at him so he could look at her properly. She blinked at him. His grip on her waist tightened as he leaned in. He could smell her natural sweet floral scent mixed with an earthy fruitiness probably from the wine she ingested, which stained her lips a pinkish red. He gently wiped a droplet from the corner of her mouth with his thumb.

She propped her free arm on his shoulder steadying herself. Wrapping her hand around his neck, she pulled him closer. She looked up at him gazing into his eyes. Her gaze drifted to his mouth and for a second it looked as though she was leaning in for a kiss, but then she threw up on his chest ruining his shirt and whatever moment they were about to share.

Embarrassed she clap her hand over her mouth. "I'm really sorry, Thor," she gasped.

"That's alright," Thor grimaced. "It happens to everyone, especially since it is your first time imbibing."

"Here, I'll fix it," Hermione offered. She vanished the mess along with his shirt.

Half-naked and speechless, Thor gave her a questioning look.

"Oops," Hermione said not looking the least bit repentant. Turning her back to him, she started to walk away when Thor stepped onto the stone ledge intercepting her.

She bumped into his chest lightly. Giggling, she turned around and walked the other way seeing as her path was blocked by a rather burly god.

"Alright, no more of that for you," he said reaching for the bottle.

"No!" she protested clutching the bottle to her chest. Thor easily caught her wrapping his arm around her small waist lifting her up. He pried the bottle from her hands, but did not release her.

"Thor!" she half screamed not really fighting him at all. She loved being close him, so she leaned back against his broad chest.

"I think you've had a little too much to drink tonight," Thor said. He hugged her to him relishing the feel of her body pressed against him, warm and soft. Smaller in stature than the other Asgardians, but no less fierce, he loved how easily she fit within his arms. "I think you need to clear your head," he whispered in her ear. "Perhaps a nice cold bath is in order." He effortlessly suspended her over the water by extending his arm.

Hermione shot him a challenging look, "go ahead," she gripped his arm, "but you're coming in with me."

Thor chuckled and lowered her until her feet barely hovered above the water surface. "You don't have enough weight or leverage to take me down with you."

Hermione's eyes gleamed, "but I have magic." All the water in the fountain swirled into a single wave speckled with brightly colored fish. It froze mid-air poised to crash over them.

"Hermione!"

Thor nearly dropped her and the water receded back into the fountain in a gel-like motion that defied physics.

Hermione's eyes widened when she looked past Thor's shoulder knowing that she was in for it now. Standing behind him was Frigga. Regal as ever she marched up to the two of them. "This is not how a proper lady is supposed to behave," she scolded after witnessing that display. "Thor, put her down." She realized that she would have to have separate conversations with the two of them on what was and was not acceptable.

"Yes, mother." Thor climbed off the fountain ledge. He released her carefully setting her down on ground. He ran his free hand through his hair awkwardly not looking avoiding his mother's disapproving gaze.

"Sorry, mum." Hermione stepped away from Thor smoothing out her dress and hair trying to make herself presentable again.

"Thor, your father is looking for you," she informed not taking her eyes off of Hermione. "Get dressed or not. I suppose it won't matter much now." Frigga left Odin in a bit of a conniption just when the crowd inside devolved into its usual debauchery. She came looking for Hermione figuring that it was time to send her to bed anyways. "Bed. Now." Taking her hand, she pulled Hermione away from Thor.

As Frigga dragged her back into the palace in the direction of their sleeping quarters, Hermione looked back longingly at Thor thinking how perfect he looked underneath the stars.

After they disappeared back inside, Thor examined the bottle in his hand and sniffed the opening. Perplexed he brought it to his lips and gulped down a mouthful surprised to taste the familiar tart and sweet flavors of his childhood, plum and honey.

"I do not know what has gotten into you lately." Frigga filled up a basin with cold water and dipped the washcloth soaking it before pressing it up against Hermione's skin. She looked away avoiding Frigga's eyes. "You may be fully grown as a mortal, but here on Asgard you are merely a babe." Despite Frigga's best efforts, that dichotomy had caused a multitude of identity issues for Hermione. She however did not want to repeat the mistake they made with Loki.

"That's hardly fair. I'm not going to live as long. I could be a hundred, feeble, grey and old, and you'll still think of me as a child," Hermione complained as Frigga undid the ties to her dress since she couldn't reach them by herself. She was twenty now and Frigga still fussed over her like she was five.

Frigga didn't correct her. Hermione's magic should extend her life considerably over the average mortal, but it will still not be even a fraction of the long life of an Asgardian. She knew there were ways around that and it involved magic of course. "Of course you'll always be my child. Thor is over a millenia old. He may be King soon, but I'm still his mother just as I am yours and Loki's," she sighed, "wherever he is. The point is that you are all my children no matter how old you are." Frigga opened the ornate wardrobe and pulled out her bedclothes and hung them on the privacy partition.

"That's not what they whisper around the palace," Hermione said quietly behind the dressing screen. She slipped into the soft blue nightgown Frigga had picked out for her.

Frigga paused. While Odin never revealed Loki's Frost Giant heritage because he never wanted him to feel different, she did not want to make the same mistake with Hermione. And given Hermione's age when she arrived on Asgard, they could not keep her origins a secret. She was mortal and while not a threat like Loki had been, she was viewed as weaker and inferior. "I've learned to not pay any mind to palace gossip. You should have heard some of the things they spoke about me before and after I became queen."

Taking a seat at the edge of her bed, Hermione frowned in confusion, "who would dare speak ill of you? You're the All-Mother. Never before in the history of Asgard has a queen ruled as Regent," she recalled fingering the silver emerald jeweled bracelet around her wrist. The only jewelry she wore because it would not come off. She slept and bathed with it on always.

Frigga grabbed a brush from the vanity. She sat down next to Hermione on the bed removing the pins and ties unraveling Hermione's hair. "Many. There were many after the crown that thought they were more deserving."

"I guess I can't imagine that. You're such a great queen. Everyone respects and loves you," Hermione said in awe. Crookshanks having woken up from his nap stretched his front legs before he lazily sauntered across the bed. Bunting Hermione's hands until she removed them from her lap, he settled on top of her like a furry feline loaf purring and slow blinking his eyes.

Frigga laughed softly, "well, it was not always like that. That's the challenge of the throne, you sometimes have to make difficult decisions for the good of your people whether it be levying extra taxes, waging war, or not in our case. No matter what you do, there will always be critics and detractors. I've also had ages to learn and carve a place for myself. You will too someday." Taking her hair in her hands she parted them into sections before methodically brushing out each part. Her hair grew tamer over the years thanks to a bit of magic and potions, but it still required some maintenance. It was also a nightly ritual she had shared with Hermione since she was a little girl in order to bond with her. She came to Asgard older than Loki was when Odin found him with memories of her actual parents. Speaking of potions, Frigga remembered that she needed to brew another tonic for Hermione.

"But I've never belonged anywhere," Hermione said stroking Crookshanks' head. "On Earth, I remembered the other children hated me because of my magic." She didn't remember much else. Even her parents were a fuzzy, distant memory. "Here, I'm a second class citizen because of my birth. I just want to go some place where I don't have to be ashamed of who I am." Not that Thor or Frigga would ever let her leave Asgard. Not while she continued to wear the chain around her wrist or Loki continued to roam free.

Frigga bristled anytime Hermione even mentioned leaving Asgard. It always set her on edge. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. Setting aside the brush, she said, "people have their prejudices. It's not something limited to either the Asgardian or human race." Running her fingers through her hair satisfied that it was smooth and tangle free, she took a small section and began to plait it. "You will encounter this no matter where you go. All I care about is that I raised you to be a strong, capable, respectful and kind young lady."

Hermione sniffed as her eyes filled with tears. She bit her lip and tilted her head toward the high ceiling focusing on the beautiful design and tried to force the tears back inside her body. She repeated to herself how lucky she was and that letting her tears spilled would only convey ingratitude for her privilege and adopted family. She was a princess in all but name.

Frigga noticed her back tensing and the slight trembling of her shoulders. Alarmed, Frigga abandoned her task the braid in her hand unraveled. Rubbing her back comfortingly, "darling? What's the matter?"

"It's nothing." Hermione shook her head her voice congested and wavering.

"Then why are you crying?"

Wiping her eyes, Hermione replied shakily, "sometimes, I wish Thor had left me on Earth," she hiccupped.

Frigga stilled, but stowed her hurt feelings thinking that Hermione was obviously distraught."Do you really think that? Where is this coming from? Hmm?" Grasping her shoulders she turned Hermione to face her. Her motherly instinct kicked in when she saw the hurt expression on her daughter's face."Did someone hurt you?" Frigga demanded, "who was it?" Odin had assumed power again, but that was no deterrent for Frigga. Heaven help anyone that hurt her children because she had no reservations about doling out capital punishment, literally. She would gladly removed the head of whoever touched Hermione. Especially Hermione, of her three children she was the most vulnerable, despite everything she had done to make her less so, because of her heritage.

Eyes blurry with tears, Hermione shook her head,"no," spilling them down her cheeks.

"No? No, as in no one hurt you or no, as in you're not going to tell me who did?" Frigga held her face smoothing the hair away from her sticky face. "Hermione, look at me." She took the end of her sleeve and gently wiped away her daughter's tears. Frigga had noticed something was off for months now. Hermione had been much more sullen and withdrawn. She had chalked it up to human adolescent woes, but if she was honest she was so preoccupied with her responsibilities as queen having just brokered a peace treaty between the Light and Dark Elves that ended a pointless war after so many years of fighting.

Sobbing quietly, Hermione barely got the words out."I'm so sorry…" Against her wishes, the tears kept falling. Crookshanks hopped off her lap when the tears started dripping on him and settled by her feet grooming himself.

"Oh, Hermione," Frigga hugged her resting her head on her shoulder stroking her hair in the same manner she had done when Hermione was a child. "What is there to be sorry for?" In Frigga's mind, Hermione had been the most perfect child after raising two boys. Two boys that grew up to be gods, incredibly destructive gods.

Hermione buried her face in Frigga's shoulder, "you're going to," she sniffed, "be..so mad.."

For the second time that night Hermione ruined someone else's outfit. Frigga shifted Hermione's head to her other shoulder leaving a wet imprint of her face on her dress. She felt Hermione's whole body shake unable to contain the sheer amount of emotions pouring out of her. Something Hermione had kept inside all this time. She wiped her eyes and turned her head resting her cheek on Frigga's shoulder.

"Whatever it is. I will fix it," Frigga promised pressing a kiss on top of her head. Tightening her arms around Hermione, she looked down at her face. "Hermione, what are you not telling me?"

"I'm pregnant."

**I actually wrote the outline and the first two chapters of this story last September. I put this on pause and worked on **_**Interlude**_ **instead, because that was a much easier and more forgiving story line. **

**Warning. This fic is going to be a very self indulgent melodrama with multiple story lines. This a **_**very **_**AU canon divergent fusion crossover. I don't like rehashing canon as in replaying the events in sequence of the seven books of Harry Potter combined with the 20+ MCU movies with the crossover cast. I may insert some canon events here and there, but I'm definitely not going to use it as a guide, so timelines don't apply. I love the MCU and consider it to be its own separate canon/universe from the comics. That said I may add some comic book elements that don't contradict the MCU, but I will use those to fill in character backgrounds that the MCU doesn't cover. Hopefully, if I do it correctly, it won't be jarring.**


	2. Dennis the Menace

_15 years earlier_

"See that there?" Evelyn Granger pointed to the rainbow bridge on the page. "It's called the bifrost. It can transport you anywhere in the nine realms, and it leads to Asgard."

"That's like Mario Kart! Daddy always falls off," Hermione giggled. "Who's that?" she pointed at the black haired figure wearing the golden horned helmet, "Loki, the trickster god, is the son of Farbauti and Laufey, frost giants from Jotunheim. He uses his magic play tricks on other gods including Thor, the God of Thunder," Hermione read without taking single breath. She turned the page to an illustration of Loki changing the golden haired god into a frog. "As well as being a shapeshifter, he also uses his magic to make copies of himself in the form of… of.. as-tral projections." Never having seen the word "astral," she stumbled over it, but locked it away in her brain like everything else she had learned before.

"Very good!" Evelyn praised her daughter. The child psychiatrist had expressed that Hermione was ahead of the curve having learned to read fluently during her reception year and being ahead of her class in grammar and maths after completing year one.

"Mummy," she pointed at the book. "He has magic too!"

"Sweetie, magic doesn't exist. It's just a story." As a bribe to get her into her pyjamas, Evelyn promised to let her read a bedtime story out of the world mythology book they brought with them on their holiday in Germany. Yesterday was the _Monkey King and the Journey to the West, _tonight was Norse mythology.

Hermione was about to protest when there was a knock on the opened door. "Daddy!"

"Hi, sweetheart!" Jonathan Granger approached the bed Hermione and Evelyn were comfortably reclined on."Are you ready for your big sleepover?" He finished tying his bowtie completing the tux ensemble he wore.

Hermione pouted and shook her head. "I want to go with you and mum."

"No, darling. This is a boring party for grownups." Evelyn got up and smoothed out her evening gown having already dressed before telling Hermione a bedtime story. She walked over to the vanity to put on her earrings.

"But I hate the other kids," Hermione spat and crossed her arms petulantly. "They are stupid. They play dumb games." Of course what Hermione was not expressing was the fact that she was often excluded from these games most of the time.

"Well, Dennis will be there," her father said dismissing her vitriol toward other children. He figured it was just a phase. She said she hated aubergines when Evelyn made ratatouille the other night; he didn't blame her. The week before she also said she hated queues at the supermarket, the color brown, black currant flavored anything, his beard, hats, and bedtime. Hermione hated everything it seemed.

Hermione frowned. "I hate Dennis! He's horrible and mean!"

"Hermione. That's not very nice. Honey, are you ready to go?" Jonathan asked checking his watch. "Nancy and Mark already called, and they're about to head out. I reckon we could drop off Hermione and walk over to the museum together."

"Just a minute," Evelyn called. She had disappeared into the bathroom of the rented hotel suite to check her makeup one last time. She came out with a pair of glittering gold slingbacks. Holding the door frame she hastily put on her shoes. "Are we meeting them at their flat?"

"Yes, we should get going," Jonathan said hurrying them along. Hermione was still pouting when he picked her up off the bed. He knew that she wasn't going to willingly put on her trainers much less walk on her own, and they were already running late.

"I don't want to go," Hermione whined wriggling around her dad's arms trying to escape.

Jonathan struggled to hold her. She was on the lower end of size and weight for her age group, but he swore sometimes she magically made herself heavier when she didn't want to go somewhere."Hermione," he looked at her sternly. "It's just one night. I promise tomorrow we'll do whatever you want." They were already halfway out the door.

"Promise?" she squinted her eyes looking at her father dubiously.

"I promise," he repeated shutting off the lights. They locked the door never to return again.

* * *

"COME OUT YOU FREAK!" A fist pounded on the cupboard door. The only barrier between Hermione and her tormentor. "I know you're in there!"

The banging commenced. Alone and terrified in the dark, Hermione covered her ears.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" screamed Dennis, a ten year old bully and son of the Grangers' close friends, the Martins. They were on holiday in Stuttgart, Germany. "Freak! Freak! Freak!" he chanted banging against the cupboard in the empty playroom where Hermione hid. While all the other children were being tucked into their cots by the nannies in the night care facility at the hotel, Dennis had cornered and chased Hermione into the dark the room.

Shutting her eyes she wished for her mother, while the clamor continued unnoticed by the night babysitting service workers, who were incidentally short staffed and overbooked as a very important gala was taking place just across the street at the museum, where most of the adults were.

Her wish came true when she opened her eyes. There was room and a bit of light coming from the other side of the cloth. No longer in the cramped cupboard but underneath a table, she looked around seeing the legs of adults clad in their finery. Soft string music played mixed with the sound of scraping cutlery and champagne glasses clinking.

She instantly recognized her mother's shoes, a pair of gold strappy heeled sandals. Hermione crawled over to her mother and grabbed her ankle with another thought.

"Oh!" Evelyn dropped her cutlery in surprise. "Jon!" She slapped his arm with the back of her hand.

"What?" Jonathan asked confused in between chewing bites of his filet.

"Mum!" Hermione poked her bushy head out from under the tablecloth.

"Hermione!" Evelyn exclaimed. "How did you get here?" She pulled her daughter up by her arm, who was dressed in her favorite pink and blue kitten pyjamas. "Why are you not in bed?!" she whispered harshly trying not to cause a scene terrified that her five year old daughter managed to cross the street by herself to find her.

"I made a wish," Hermione answered honestly.

"What's going on, honey?" Jonathan interjected. He looked down. "Is that Hermione? What-"

"Everything alright?" Jonathan's best mate Mark eyed them curiously from across the table. They were starting to attract stares.

"Yes," Evelyn answered curtly. She got up abruptly and took Hermione's hand. "This one snuck out of bed because she was so excited to see the museum she couldn't wait until tomorrow." She quickly ushered Hermione into an empty corridor before she had to answer any questions as to why and how her five year old gatecrashed the gala.

Gathering the material of her glittery gold evening gown, she knelt down to Hermione's level. "Sweetheart, how did you get over here by yourself? You know that this is not okay. You could have been hurt. What do we always say about crossing streets?"

"Look both ways," Hermione mumbled with her eyes fixed on the marbled floor.

"What else?" Evelyn prompted.

"And hold yours or daddy's hand."

"That's right. You never cross the street by yourself."

"But I didn't!" Hermione protested.

She gently grasped her shoulders and looked her daughter directly in the eye. "Hermione. Don't lie to me," she said sternly.

"I'm not!" Hermione cried. "I made a wish. It came true. It was magic."

Evelyn sighed exasperatedly. "There's no such thing as magic, sweetheart." The Grangers were no nonsense parents. No surprise, the easter bunny and santa claus did not have a place in their home either.

"Evie!" Jonathan caught up with his family. "What's going on? Hermione, you shouldn't be here. You should be in bed," he admonished.

"But Dennis was being mean," Hermione tattled. "He called me a freak and chased me."

Evelyn looked at Jonathan knowingly. "I knew it. I never liked that boy."

"Evie, come on. That's Mark and Nance's kid. I'm sure he was just playing."

"He's a bully. That's what he is. I knew this was a bad idea. We should have gone to North Berwick instead."

"Sweetie, boys are like that at that age," Jonathan explained. "He was just being mean because he doesn't know how else to get your attention. I think he may even like you."

"Jonathan!" Evelyn scolded. She rose to her full height facing her husband before unleashing her wrath. "Do not make excuses for that little boy! What kind of message are conveying to our little girl when we dismiss her like that? Or telling her that's how boys treat girls? We don't tolerate that type of behavior."

Jonathan sighed and hung his head obvious that he didn't want to fight with his wife. "Listen, we're on holiday outside of England for the first time since Hermione was born. These are our friends. Mark and I have known each other since we were boys at Harrow. Can we just wait until we go home to deal with this? I rather not start something right now."

"I don't care that he's your best mate from your school days, Jon. His child is bullying ours!" It was obvious since they started dating that Evelyn never liked Mark. "I'm leaving, and I'm taking Hermione back to the hotel." Evelyn turned around looking down the empty corridor and her daughter was nowhere to be found. "Hermione?"

* * *

The sound of the string music from the orchestra faded into the background as she walked further and further away from the corridor and her feuding parents. Soon it was just the sound of her softly padding feet as she turned a corner and entered a deserted hallway. Coming to an entrance labeled _African Wildcats, _she stopped and looked around to make sure she was definitely alone. Hermione normally didn't misbehave unless she knew with certainty that she wouldn't get caught. Stepping onto her tippy toes, she reached for one of the handles of the double french doors only to be disappointed because they were locked.

Balling her fists by her side, she concentrated on the door handle and was delighted when the both door handles disappeared along with the lock. Unanchored, the doors unlatched and drifted opened for her with a soft creak.

The chamber was small and circular with only a few dioramas on display. Two rows of benches occupied the center of the room. Save for the stage lighting illuminating the encased displays, the room was dimly lit. Once again she concentrated and visualized what she wanted and the overhead lights turned on.

Satisfied she looked around giddy at the fact that she was alone and could do whatever she wanted to, staying up past her bedtime alone in a museum, and best of all no more Dennis.

She was admiring a stuffed lion, one of her favorite animals, when she felt another presence in the room. Turning around she saw a very well dressed man approaching her. He had handsome aristocratic features. High cheekbones, alabaster skin, and and a slender nose graced his long pointed face. He was taller than any adult she had ever seen. Something about him screamed not human and otherworldly to her.

"That was an impressive display of magic there. Especially for one so young," said Loki.

Hermione would have beamed at the compliment but she was wary of the man. She knew better than to talk to strangers especially ones that lurked in the shadows. She took a few steps back and eyed the doorway past Loki. That was the only entrance and exit in the room.

Loki didn't know how to interpret her silence. Did this girl not know how rare it was for him to compliment anyone? Yes, that was the issue Loki thought. He needed to introduce himself."I am Prince Loki of Asgard," he pronounced regally.

Hermione looked at him curiously wondering if he really was a prince. If so, she wondered where his crown was.

He clasped his hands behind his back as he moved away from the shadows closing the distance between them. "You know it's generally rude to not introduce yourself. Especially in the presence of royalty." Loki didn't know where this child came from, but her parents had woefully undereducated her on the importance of manners especially in the presence of her superiors. No matter, he decided that he would have to teach her himself.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "Mum says not to talk to strangers."

"Ah. Your mother is right, but also wrong in that regard."

Hermione tilted her head in confusion. "You can't be both," she said because five year olds only saw things in either black or white, categories with clearly defined parameters.

"How else do you make friends if you don't talk to strangers?" Loki challenged lightly.

Hermione shrugged,"I don't know. I don't have friends."

"Hmm...Why is that?" Loki thought it may have been her lack of manners, but then he remembered that all children were little savages.

Dennis Martin's words echoed in her mind. "Because I'm a freak. I'm different. The other children don't like me."

"A freak?" Loki feigned surprise, "because of your magic?"

"Mum says magic isn't real."

"Do you really believe that? You just opened a locked door with your mind." Loki came to the conclusion that the girl was born from non magicals unless she was adopted. That didn't matter to him. He just rediscovered magic on Earth. It should have died out many a millenia ago. This was rare and unique opportunity for him.

Hermione shrugged again. "Sometimes things happen. I can't explain it."

"You know, Loki began, a wry smile played on his lips, "I could be your friend. What is your name?"

Hermione did not answer. She still wasn't sure about talking to strangers. At any moment she was going to yell stranger danger and run out of here, but something kept her from doing so. She recognized something in this person or being standing before her, the Loki from her bedtime story, and she was curious about him.

Loki's nostrils flared, his patience was wearing thin. "As a prince, I meet many foreigners and dignitaries from faraway realms. Where I'm from when we meet for the first time, we exchange gifts. Then we are not strangers anymore."

"But I don't have anything," she said.

Loki had an idea. "Hmm...How about a lock of your hair?"

"My hair?" she reached up touching her frizzy brown bush tentatively. She had cried the first time her mother cut her hair.

"Just a strand. I will give you one of mine as well." True to his word he plucked a strand of his black hair and held it up to the light. Then he used his magic to transform it into a silver chain embellished with emeralds. "A gift for you, m'lady." Loki bowed generously.

Hermione's jaw dropped. "You can do magic too!" She had never met anyone else that could do magic.

"Hold out your arm," he commanded.

Still shocked at the display of magic, Hermione obeyed. Loki gingerly buckled the clasp on the bracelet around her tiny wrist. "Thank you, um...sir." Hermione remembered her manners, but wasn't sure how to address royalty much less a god. "It's so pretty." She admired her bracelet. "I wish I could do magic like that," she said wistfully. "One time I made all of Cassie Rigby's hair fall out because she teased me about mine."

Loki threw his head back releasing a melodious laugh."You are quite the mischievous little thing aren't you? Playing pranks and running off to places you are not supposed to be."

Hermione shrugged. "She kinda deserved it. Mum was angry though. Not at me. She thought Mrs. Rigby was barmy and was lying about her daughter's hair falling out. I didn't even get punished," Hermione said smugly.

"Your parents do not wield magic like yourself?"

She shook her head. "No." Hermione had never seen her parents do the things she did. Until tonight, she had never met anyone else that could do magic like her.

"There is much I could teach you," Loki offered. _Things your parents and these pathetic earthlings never could _he thought. He had sensed the child was lonely and misunderstood alienated by her unique gift. That was something he could use. "Where are you from?" Loki suspected that there may be more like her.

"London, England. Can you do some more magic?" Hermione asked.

"Of course. But first I need your name and a lock of your hair."

Hermione winced as she tugged on a strand of hair. "My name is Hermione. Ow!" she offered him her strand of hair, which he took and wrapped around his ring finger. It transformed into a plain silver band.

"Hermione? What a lovely name. Now, how about some more magic?"

Hermione nodded excitedly.

Loki smirked, child were so easily manipulated. With a wave of his hand, the lion in the display diorama came to life. The apex feline predator let out a frightening roar and began pacing in the confines of the glass barrier. Hermione shrieked and ducked behind Loki grabbing his right pant leg.

Loki waved his hand again and the beast returned to its stationary, lifeless form. His intention was not to frighten her but to impress her with a show of power."There, there," he said to her. "There is no need to be afraid, little one. It was just a bit of magic," he said looking down at the five year old still gripping his leg slightly annoyed that she was still touching him.

Hermione let go and backed away from the glass still not convinced that the lion was not going to charge at her again. "How come you can do magic?"

Loki did not like the way she casually addressed him, but he decided to entertain her questions nonetheless. He could modify her behavior later. "I am a god. I can do lots of things mortals can't."

"Are you really Loki, God of Mischief?"

"Ah, so you have heard of me?"

"Only in the stories my mum and I read together. She says you're not real."

"Do I not look real to you?"

Hermione tilted her head."Hmm...I guess…."

"Then I really am, Loki, Prince of Asgard."

Still not entirely convinced, she asked, "why should I believe you?"

Suddenly Loki transformed his outfit into his black and green armor and regalia complete with the golden horned helmet matching the picture in her book. "How about now?"

"You really are Loki!"

"Prince Loki," he corrected her.

"Sorry. Prince Loki." She looked a little hurt by his sharp reprimand.

He smiled. "I would have also accepted 'my lord' or 'your highness' as well." He liked those who could take orders. "Would you like to learn magic? If you come with me I can teach you everything you would ever want to know."

Hermione's face brightened but then the hesitation crept in.

Sensing her reluctance, Loki prompted her, "speak."

"I can't go with you."

"Why not?" Loki fixed his stare down on her.

"Don't you live in Asgard on the rainbow road? Mum and dad are already angry because I ran away when I'm not supposed to. I need go find them now."

Technically Loki did not live on Asgard anymore, but he was the master of illusions. "How about this. I will use my magic to send you there, but I will bring you back right away. You can see for yourself if you want to live there."

Hermione perked up at the idea of seeing the bifrost."Can my mum and dad come too?"

"Yes, of course," Loki lied sweetly. "But why don't you see for yourself first whether or not you like it. Then we can invite your mother and father."

"Okay!" Hermione agreed falling for his enticing promises.

Loki smirked thinking how easy to control children were. He didn't even need the scepter to get her to do his bidding.

"All you need to do is close your eyes," he whispered.

She looked at him for a second before obeying. Suddenly she felt a wave of exhaustion spread over her. Sleep began to seep into her mind and limbs as her thoughts became unfocused and she began to sway unsteadily on her feet.

Before she crumbled to the ground, Loki caught her sleeping form with ease. She was as light as air. He picked her up and carried her to the bench. He had cast a sleeping spell on her.

Loki looked down at the sleeping child. He had never been overly fond of children finding them too loud and annoying. They always touched things that weren't theirs with their sticky little fingers, but for some reason he found this one tolerable.

Then there was her magic. It had been nearly a millennium since he had encountered a Midgardian seidr. While he detested mortals mostly on principle, they were lesser, inferior, weaker creatures afterall. However, he also felt that all magic was precious and should be cultivated.

He quickly made up his mind to take the child. Based on their conversation he gleaned that her parents were not magic users. They would never understand her. They may even come to fear her as her magic grows. He knew enough of the infantile minds of mortals and their instinctual impulse to shun or destroy things that they fear. The god felt that her gift was too great to waste. She was young. He can shape her into the perfect follower molding her into whatever he wished her to be.

"You can come out now," Loki said not bothering to look up.

Clint jumped down from his hiding spot in the ceiling rafters landing with his knees bent. He had secured the building and completed his reconnaissance before coming across the strange interaction between Loki and Hermione. "I wasn't intentionally eavesdropping. I didn't want to interrupt. You seemed to be having a moment."

"Yes, it appears that your kind is not as ordinary and useless as I initially thought. Did you secure the iridium?" Loki sat upon the bench with Hermione head resting on his shoulder like nothing was amiss.

"Good news and bad news, boss. Schafer is here, but the iridium is not. They apparently moved it to storage earlier today before it goes out on loan to the Smithsonian as a last minute addition to their new mineral and rock exhibit. Schafer is going to personally deliver it by private plane tomorrow morning meaning his security credentials should still work. It's in a warehouse ten miles from here. I've already arranged for transport."

"I could have done without the extraneous details," Loki said annoyed. "No matter. Does that extractor work remotely? Or shall we move on to kidnapping?"

"Of course. They come in sets of two for a reason." Clint handed him an eyeball extractor identical to the one in his pocket. "Speaking of kidnapping, what's with the kid?" Clint kept waiting for Loki to bring her up, but he didn't. So he thought he should ask what he planned to do with her before too much time passed, and it got really awkward.

"Oh, right." Loki shifted her so she was propped onto his arm and facing Clint. Eyes closed, her limbs flopped about like a rag doll."This is Hermione. She is...something special, a remarkable discovery." Loki didn't have a specific plan for her yet, but he wanted to keep her safe especially with what was about to happen. "I want you to look after her. Keep her safe. Kill anyone that tries to take her."

"Whatever you say, boss." Had Clint not been under Loki's mind control he would have made a cutting remark about him being a highly trained and dangerous assassin not a babysitter and walked off. Instead he took the child into his arms and marched off. Clint had some iridium to steal.

* * *

Evelyn Granger tried very hard not to panic. Her five year old daughter was missing. Fighting the urge to scream out her name, her eyes scanned the museum atrium searching for her little girl. With dinner finished, the tables had been cleared and all the guests got up to mingle with each other in the atrium. "Jonathan, we've lost her!" she placed a hand over her mouth muffling a sob.

"Calm down, she couldn't have gone far. This is a high security event," her husband reassured her. Jonathan had received tickets to the opening of a new, exclusive exhibit at the Stuttgart State Museum of Natural Sciences. The guest of honor was Heinrich Schafer. The tickets were gifted to them by their patients, who were unable to attend. Notable dignitaries from all over Europe were attending the gala as well as a number of high society families. So Jonathan wasn't wrong, the building was guarded heavily.

"Then how do you explain how she snuck in here in the first place?" Evelyn hissed. "What if someone took her?" Her thoughts immediately went to perverted child abductors and sex rings deeply embedded in the countries within the continent. "Oh god," she started hyperventilating. "I just turned around for a second and then she was gone. This is all my fault!"

"Hey, hey, hey," Jonathan tried to calm his wife down. Her mind had a tendency to only imagine the worst case scenario. "Everything will be alright. We will find her," he promised.

His words did not stop her from spiraling. "There was that poor little girl that disappeared while her parents were on holiday outside of the U.K. That happened just a few years ago and they never found her!"

Jonathan refused to entertain that idea. "She has to be in the building somewhere. Hermione loves museums." Jonathan took her arm and led her away from the crowd. "I've already spoken to the coordinator and they are conducting a very thorough search. She's a child. Sometimes they like to hide."

"I know," she replied. "But you have to admit Hermione isn't a normal child. She prefers the company of books and adults over children her own age."

"Is that so horrible, Evie?" Jonathan said exasperatedly. "Would you rather her be like other children?"

"Yes!" she said. "Jon, you cannot tell me that you haven't noticed?"

"Notice what?"

"The strange things that keep happening around Hermione. Inexplicable things. Like that incident with the Rigby girl or those boys at her school. Her teachers say the other children are afraid of her."

Jonathan shook his head."I don't believe that. Hermione is a very bright girl. Gifted children are more likely to act out if they're not challenged. We'll enroll her in a better school. We'll even take her back to that child psychiatrist."

"No," Evelyn said doubtfully. "I don't think this is something a doctor can cure."

Before Jonathan could respond, one of the security guards approached them.

His walkie talkie buzzed, and he answered it. "Copy that. Madam, I think we found your daughter."

* * *

Clint and Loki parted ways. Carrying the child in his arms he snuck out the side exit entering a passage and stairway that led to the rooftop where a helicopter waited from him. The iridium was stored in a high security warehouse offsite. Loki will make his grand entrance soon and obtain the key he needed to unlock the vault where the iridium was kept.

Clint rendezvoused with a pair of armed guards also under Loki's influence. Their eyes glowed blue just like his.

"Helicopter is ready, sir," the guard reported.

"Good, let's not waste any more time," Clint replied not bothering to explain why he carried an unconscious child. They walked down the hallway the sound of the helicopter's spinning blades growing louder as they approached the exit to the roof.

A loud bang caught them unaware. Clint turned around to see the door from where he came from was opened and out rushed some of the security detail from the event. He could tell that they regarded him with suspicion.

"Excuse me, sir," one of them called out, "sir!" he repeated when Clint turned back around as if he had not heard him.

"Sir, I'm going to ask you to stop!" Another security guard warned. Their footsteps picked up the pace.

"Madam! Please stay back. We have this under control."

The Grangers had arrived behind them shortly refusing to stay behind.

Evelyn recognized her daughter's bushy hair. "That's her!" she pointed at Clint's retreating form. "That's my daughter! He's got my daughter!" she screamed. "Hermione!"

"STOP! FREEZE!" the museum guards yelled.

"What are you doing with my daughter?!" Jonathan demanded. "Let go of her this instant!"

Everyone armed drew their guns. The Grangers froze in terror behind the armed museum guards. This was no longer a kidnapping, but a hostage situation.

"I don't have time for this," Clint said. He didn't want to risk running behind schedule and picking up the girl had not been part of the original plan. He turned and gave the order, "take care of them." Clint didn't spare another glance at the distressed couple. He was given strict orders from Loki to not let anyone take the girl.

"Please don't hurt her."Jonathan begged. He held his wife who was sobbing. "If you want money, you can have it. Name your price. Plea-"

The two guards flanking Clint opened fire. The whole exchange was over in seconds.

Hermione didn't stir as the sounds of screaming and bodies hitting the ground echoed in the hallway. She didn't wake either when Clint climbed into the helicopter.


	3. Taken

Hermione blinked a few times trying to adjust to the brightness from the ground she stood on. Fully opening her eyes, she gasped in amazement. Beneath her feet were beams of iridescent light. The colors shone brightly against the vast starry night sky. A rainbow bridge just like the video game she would play with her dad on the nintendo. "This must be the bifrost!" she said to no one.

Realization dawned on her that she was in Asgard and alone. "Loki?" she called out tentatively. She looked around. Loki had kept his promise, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Hello?" No one answered. The only sound came from the rushing water below. Not sure which way to go she decided to follow the direction of the water.

She walked for what felt like hours and her feet began to ache. There was nowhere to sit, so she collapsed unceremoniously onto the ground from exhaustion. She ducked her head down as she tried to fight off the frustrated tears that were welling up in her eyes. She was definitely starting to regret leaving her mother's side.

Feeling foolish that she was so easily enticed by the Trickster God, she wondered why he had stranded her here by herself. Perhaps he was playing a cruel joke for his amusement. She could imagine him laughing at her now from far away just like the other children constantly did.

Those painful memories were enough to get her butt off the ground. She continued to walk until she reached the end of the bifrost. There were cracks and fissures along the edge where the bridge stopped.

Stepping a bit closer, she saw the water falling into the abyss as if she was standing at the edge of the world. Evidently, Asgard was flat. Looking further down, she saw Earth, a perfectly round blue and green sphere streaked with white just like a satellite picture she saw on this month's _National Geographic Kids_. Her heart sank. She didn't know how to get home.

"Loki. Where are you?" she cried out desperately. "Please answer me!"

"Take me home now!" She demanded at the sky as if he was listening from the heavens.

"Loki! This isn't funny. Stop hiding!" She screamed before collapsing again on the ground. She started to cry again as children do to express their helplessness.

* * *

Elsewhere, thousands of miles away Clint Barton woke from a week long nightmare. Groaning, he tried to sit up but couldn't. Even without opening his eyes, he felt that his wrists and legs were strapped to the cot he laid on. On top of that he sported the worst headache ever. It felt like someone had knocked him out and proceeded to stomped on his head repeatedly while he was unconscious. He was able to deduce that he had been in a fight recently and judging by his compromised position, he also came to the conclusion that he must have lost. So in addition to having his mind possessed, he had also gotten his ass thoroughly beaten. It was definitely not a good week for Hawkeye.

He struggled again against the bonds as he opened his eyes. His vision was blurry but as everything came to focus he felt relieved when he looked up and saw Natasha. She stood in front of him with a glass of water.

"Ugh, thanks," he rasped. His throat felt scratchy and his mouth was drier than a desert, but his skin was clammy and moist. He felt uncomfortable all around. "I'm so thir-"

She threw the glass of water in his face. Water went everywhere and the glass shattered on the ground.

Clint sputtered shaking his head flicking water in all directions. "You didn't have to throw the glass too," he groused. "That's another bruise."

"I had to make sure you were back," Natasha said wiping the residual water from her cheek with the back of her hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been kicked in the head a few times."

"Well, you were," she supplied truthfully.

"I deserved it," he groaned.

"You remember everything?" Natasha asked cautiously.

Clint closed his eyes. "I did some truly terrible things. I killed our own."

Sensing his unease, Natasha she gripped his bound wrist. "Don't do that to yourself. You were not in the right frame of mind."

"There's more." A hard expression crossed his face before he confessed, "Loki had ordered me to take a little girl hostage. He said she was special." He swallowed heavily. The details were slowly coming back to him. "Her name was Hermione. He said under no circumstances should I let anyone take this girl, so when her parents confronted me as we were leaving Stuttgart, I had them killed."

Natasha furrowed her brow in concern. Her lips were parted trying to form the correct words to reassure him, but she had nothing. She undid the restraints and got up to retrieve a second glass of water from the sink.

"Jesus, they were civilians." His eyes widened in horror as the full realization of what he had done came back to him. The images replayed in his head as if he were playing a first person shooter game, except the controller wasn't in his hands.

Natasha had never seen her partner like that. In all the years she had known him and everything they had been through together, Clint never lost his composure. The two of them killed people for a living. There was never any room for remorse.

"Why does this bother you so much?" she asked. "Every person we have killed, and there's enough blood spilt to drown both us, was someone to somebody else. It's part of the job."

"Yeah, but I lie to myself that they are the bad guys, scum of the earth types, so I can sleep at night. I imagine if they did have children then they are better off without them. That's kind of messed up, I know."

"We'll find her in time. Loki took multiple people from S.H.I.E.L.D hostage including you and Dr. Selvig." She offered him a glass of water and some headache medicine.

"No, Nat, you don't understand," he said, shaking his head avoiding her eyes. "I've done some fucked up things, but never had I ever kidnapped an innocent child while murdering her parents!" He shouted assuming the worst. He grasped his head in frustration as if he was still fighting Loki's influence. "If only I had been a stronger person. If only I had fought harder, this would have never happened. Now this little girl is an orphan because of me. We have to go find her, Nat."

She forced the glass and pills into his hands."Where did you leave her?"

"In an abandoned bunker in Germany. It was also the base of our operations." He swallowed the headache medication and downed the water.

"That's a start. I'll tell Fury, and he will send a tactical team to Germany to retrieve her. They need to storm the place anyways to gather evidence for Loki's war crimes and save the rest of the hostages that are still under his control."

Barton jumped up to his feet throwing the glass. It broke against the mirror over the sink. He was suddenly calm. "I'm the one that's responsible. I should go."

"You said Loki wanted her safe, right? Most likely no harm has come to her yet. Right now we have bigger things to worry about like the impending global invasion of aliens," Romanoff stated pragmatically.

"I need to go." Clint gripped the edges of the sink leaning over it. "I need to go get her." He couldn't stand the idea of leaving a child behind like that. "She's Lila's age."

"Clint, remember what you are," Natasha said darkly. "You're an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. You can't let this get in the way of what needs to be done now. Lives are at stake here."

Clint turned around to face her. "What about her life? You don't understand. You will never understand. Once you become a ..." Clint swallowed heavily.

For the tiniest fraction of second, hurt flickered in Natasha's face before she donned her mask of indifference again.

"I'm sorry. That was out of line. I didn't mean…" Clint scratched the back of his neck embarrassed that he crossed that line.

"That's alright," she smiled wryly. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. "I'm perfectly happy being the cool aunt. Do you trust me?"

"You are the godmother of my children," was Clint's answer.

"You want to stop the killing of more innocent lives then you'll come with me and fight. We need everyone on this. There's about to be a war."

"She's right," Steve interrupted. He stood with his arms crossed against the doorframe. "We need all hands on deck for this one. Suit up."

* * *

The Avengers surrounded and apprehended Loki on the top floor of Stark Tower, but given the state of the building it was not secure enough to keep a fugitive god. No country wanted custody of Loki after seeing the destruction in New York, so they transported him back to the Helicarrier, which was miraculously still airborne despite all the damage it. That suffice for now because it was all supposed to be temporary anyways. The only prison that could hold Loki was back in Asgard.

Thor forced Loki into the steel chair at the center of the highest security chamber they had next to the prison built for the Hulk, which still lay abandoned in some meadow. That wasn't saying much since most of the ship still needed repair. This room was still intact though. Thor handcuffed Loki's hands to the table. Flipping his hammer handle side up, he set it on top of Loki's bound hands. That was the best solution they came up with and until Selvig, Stark, and Banner actually build the device necessary to harness the power of the tesseract to transport them back to Asgard.

"Leave us," Thor commanded.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Steve said as he looked from Loki to Thor.

"I think I can handle my brother," Thor said not taking his eyes off of Loki.

Bruce touched Steve's arm. "We have cameras all over the place. Let us know if you need us, Thor." Bruce left and Steve stalled a bit before exiting leaving the two brothers alone.

"This is your plan? To keep me on this hovering boat that I have already escaped from once before?"

"The plan is to take you back to Asgard where you will answer for your crimes, brother."

Loki's face remained impassive if anything he seemed bored.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Thor folded his arms over his broad chest.

Not looking at Thor, Loki smiled to himself,"what is there to say?" he asked flippantly.

"Do you feel any remorse for what you've done?" The anger rising in Thor was palpable. It charged electrons in the air setting off sparks.

"I've done nothing different than what our people, what our father, his father, and his father's father has done for millions if not billions of years. Conquer those that are weaker than us."

"Your actions have led to the murder of thousands of innocent lives!" Thor accused slamming his hands on the table.

Loki didn't even flinch, "and you are such a hypocrite. A year ago you would have done the same, remember?" Loki needled him. "Father exiled you for invading another realm and starting a war during peacetime." Which Loki goaded him into doing, but it was still Thor's fault for being hot headed and foolish enough to fall for it. "_Our father_ lost his eye for it, remember? The hard won peace Odin secured with the Frost Giants. He only told us that story about a thousand times."

"And I have learned from my mistake. I am much better for it now," Thor admitted wholeheartedly.

"Hmm..Really? I don't see you laying down your hammer barring current circumstances of course." He glanced at the hammer disdainfully. "Tell me, what is the difference between war and murder?"

Stumped by his question, Thor replied, "well obviously...one is..is.. justified.." Thor stumbled rather badly. "Why? Why Earth?"

Loki decided to go with Thor's non sequitur seeing how his brother was losing the argument badly anyways. That was how it always was when the two argued and it became rather boring when Loki won every time. "Well my dear brother, can you really fault me for this? After I fell from the bifrost, I entered a wormhole. On the other side was the Other."

"The other what?"

"Anyways," Loki continued ignoring Thor's question. He hated being interrupted. "They promised me an army to conquer Earth as long as I can deliver them the tesseract, which was on was too good of an offer to pass up. There was no going back after everything I've done to Asgard and Jotunheim."

"And New Mexico," Thor added.

"I have become an enemy of the state to say the least. I rather rule as King here than be a fugitive in the nine realms," Loki explained simply showing not an ounce of remorse.

"So you were coerced?" Thor immediately jumped onto that part ignoring everything else. "Who were you helping?" Thor needed to know. He needed to know that his brother was not just an opportunist without a conscience.

Loki smiled cruelly and leaned forward a bit."You were hoping that I was being controlled by the scepter weren't you? Like your pathetic weak minded human friends. You want to excuse my behavior. You want to absolve me from blame." Too bad, Loki thought. He made his decision to assist Thanos before he was even given the scepter. "Sorry to disappoint you. All the scepter did was give me the means and insight to execute the plan." To Loki's credit, that was mostly true. The scepter did enhance his existing hatred of the planet and its inhabitants, much like how say a horcrux preyed on negative emotions, but he was not brainwashed to the extent that like Selvig and Barton were. He was a god after all. He maintained his autonomy and behaved as expected given his track record.

"I just want to understand, Loki," Thor pleaded. "We are brothers. When did we become enemies?"

"When did you become so soft?" Loki shot back. "Was it that mortal?"

"Leave Jane out of this!" Thor growled.

Loki rolled his eyes at how easy it was to play his brother.

Just then Steve entered. "Thor, we have a meeting in five and we need you."

"We're not finished here, Loki," Thor said as he left with Steve.

"Oh but we are." Loki felt the ring around his finger grow warm. Smiling to himself, his escape plan had finally arrived.

Hermione wept until there were no more tears left. Still stranded on a different plane of existence, she just wanted to go home to her parents.

"Do not cry, little one."

Surprised to find that she was no longer alone she turned around. Standing behind her was a sentinel dressed in gold armor. He was so still that she thought he was a statue.

"You have eluded my sight, little one. I have not seen you until now. And I see and hear everything in the universe."

"Who are you?"

"Heimdall," he introduced himself, "and you must be Hermione."

"How do you know who I am?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

Heimdall's gaze shifted to the bracelet on her wrist. "I was looking for Loki and then I found you. I have been watching you ever since."

Hermione being a child did not understand the creepy implications of Heimdall's sight and his claim to be watching her like a pervy Santa Claus."Where is he?" she demanded bossily. "He promised that he would take me home."

Heimdall hummed disapprovingly. "I would not give him your trust so easily. He is after all a trickster and the Wizard of Lies."

Hermione's cheeks turned red with embarrassment at the thought of being tricked. "I don't care!" she screamed defensively. "I want to go home!" She stamped her feet several times and made a cry face.

Heimdall didn't react. He remained stoic refusing to comfort the child not wanting to play into her temper tantrum especially, since he could not promise her a safe return home.

Hermione let out an annoyed huff and crossed her arms when she realized she wasn't going to get what she wanted with her tears. "Can you really see and hear everything?"

"Yes."

"Do you know where my mum and dad are?"

Heimdall didn't answer right away. The gold in his pupils flickered in his otherwise unmoving self. "You will have to ask Loki next time you see him."

* * *

"We've tried everything, she won't wake," said Bruce. "Do you remember what Loki did to her?"

"I think it was magic or something." Clint looked at the unconscious girl from the other side of the glass. Hermione was hooked up to a single beeping monitor, the only indication that she was alive. From Clint's vantage point, she looked exactly as he had remembered when he left her. She almost looked dead. "He put her into a deep sleep."

"Well, her stats are stable," Bruce reported. "Did he use the scepter?"

"No. It was his own brand of magic." He felt almost ridiculous using such a blanket term because it neither explained or helped their current situation. Everyone that was under Loki's spell had come to, but Hermione remained asleep. "He did give her a bracelet," he tapped the glass pointing to the green and silver chain.

"That's strange that you would say that. We tried to remove it so we could put her in the MRI machine, but it would not come off. We used every tool we could think of. Short of cutting off her hand, it's not going to come off."

There was a knock on the door. Natasha entered. "Meeting on the bridge in five," she announced curtly. "Any change?" Natasha nodded at the sleeping girl.

"No, the only good news is that she is definitely alive," Bruce said adjusting his glasses. "She's breathing on her own. If this persists we can hook her up to some TPN and some IV fluids to keep her healthy."

"So, she's in a coma then?" Natasha said.

Bruce sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah. There's not much else we can do, but hope she wakes up."

She glanced over to Clint, whose expression was unreadable. His gaze was fixed on the sleeping girl.

"She'll wake up." She patted him on the shoulder. "Let's go. She's not going anywhere."

"It's time to wake up, Hermione." Loki stood over her bed or rather one of his astral projections did. The magic in Mjolnir limited what he could do, but luckily he had a backup plan, Hermione.

Hermione's eyes fluttered open.

"See, I told you I would bring you back."

"Where am I?" she looked around the unfamiliar sterile environment.

"We're in a game," Loki said quickly sensing her panic. That seemed to appease her. Children loved games.

"Like Mario?"

"Yes," Loki paused not know who or what a Mario was, "like Mario."

"I don't want to play a game! I want my mum and dad!" Hermione was ready to throw a fit.

Loki shushed her. "Yes, I know. But before I take you to them, I need you to steal something for me first."

Hermione frowned,"stealing is wrong." She tugged off the pulse ox attached to her finger and it fell to the floor with a clatter.

"Not if we are stealing something back that was taken from us." He needed either the scepter or the tesseract. Those were the only weapons powerful enough to possibly move Mjolnir. He didn't have enough faith in the five year old before him to get both, so he had to be smart about this.

"Okay…" Hermione said not completely buying it. She remained on the bed and looked around the room some more.

Loki sighed realizing that this was going to be harder than he thought."I need this object to take you home." He really needed her to focus..

"But why?"

"Why what?" Loki snapped impatiently.

"Why can't you just use your magic? Like you did before."

"This object has my magic," Loki lied smoothly. "It was stolen from me. That's why I need you to help me get it back."

"So if I steal it, you'll take me back to my mum and dad?"

"Yes," Loki lied again because he had no intention of looking for her parents. He needed to get off this planet immediately. Having failed so spectacularly, he knew Thanos would come after him. He was the most wanted man in the nine realms and possibly the universe. There were still pockets of magic on Earth: Stonehenge, Egyptian pyramids, Mayan temples, anywhere that significant human sacrifices took place. The sacrificial killings produced dark magic and lingered for thousands of years. The residual dark magic along with the power of the scepter should be enough for him to open a small portal to escape earth.

Hermione opened her mouth again with another round of questions, and Loki shut her down. "No more questions, we are running out of time. Do you want to see your parents again or not?"

Hermione nodded.

"Good, now listen carefully."

She made a face.

"What now?" He reminded himself that he could not kill this child, not because his real body was bound by Mjolnir, but because he actually needed her.

"I need to use the toilet."

* * *

This had been an exhausting and never ending day for the Avengers. The battle was over, but they were going to have to deal with the aftermath for months to come.

"Alright, number one priority is to get you and Loki back to Asgard," Bruce announced.

"That would be best," Thor agreed. He was anxious to get back home afraid that the magic Odin used to send him to Earth may have exhausted him to the point of putting him into a premature Odinsleep.

They were serious and already working on it. Selvig had set up his own mini lab with his tools on his portion of the table. He was taking measurements and readings of the tesseract when everyone decided to come in and hold a meeting.

"Erik, Tony, and I will be working on a device to utilize the tesseract to transport you back to Asgard."

"We'll be recalibrating the machine on Stark's tower." Selvig gestured to the remains that took up the lionshare of the table. "I called in some extra help too," Selvig added.

Right on cue the door slid open revealing a jetlagged Jane Foster. She dropped her backpack on the ground. The only belongings she brought with her. "I got here as soon as I could."

Thor abruptly rose from his seat. "Jane," he breathed. His heart ached and rejoiced at seeing her beautiful face.

Selvig stood up just as she reached him. Jane hugged him tightly. "You could have died," she said softly.

Selvig laughed. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon," he promised patting her on the back.

Then she turned to Thor and slapped him across the face. "Were you going to leave without calling me?"

Everyone froze stunned that Jane, this very respectable and petite academic, would hit Thor like that.

Thor didn't feel a thing except for the sting from her hurtful implication. "I was only trying to keep you safe."

Selvig made a move to try to calm Jane down, but she ignored him.

"Erik is the only family I have! He gets kidnapped and possessed by your brother, and you never thought to contact me?!" Her anger was fierce to behold and entirely justified, "imagine that instead of getting a call, I get to watch everything unfold on the news!"

"I -" Thor started. He was so happy to see her, but evidently the feeling was not reciprocated. This was not how Thor had imagined their reunion.

"Jane!" Selvig inserted himself between Jane and Thor. "You're here now, and I'm okay! That's what matters. I would have never wanted you involved in this mess." That was true, Selvig was thankful that Loki abducted him over Jane given both their associations with Thor and S.H.I.E.L.D. "Thor did the right thing."

Jane's features softened a bit. Still fuming, she crossed her arms and sat down signaling the end of the brief tiff much to the relief of everyone sitting at the round table.

Tony turned to Steve, "you know what they say about a woman scorned…" he said in a low voice. He shut his mouth when he saw Jane glaring at him from across the table.

"Thank you for joining us Dr. Foster," Fury said. He trained his one good eye on Selvig and Thor and didn't continue until they both sat down. "Moving on. Most of our agents have been recovered and are undergoing extensive psychological evaluation. They will be granted a leave of absence for as long as needed, which combined with our casualties means we might be a little low on manpower for a while. Overtime will be reinstated of course."

"What about civilian victims, like the little girl we found," Bruce interrupted. "Has anyone found her parents yet?"

"Yeah, I was just getting to that," Fury said miffed that he was being interrupted even if it was over boring bureaucratic day to day stuff.

That was when Tony chimed in. "I ran facial recognition software on her. It identified her as Hermione Jean Granger, daughter of Evelyn Ophelia Granger nee Wilkins and Jonathan Reyholm Granger. Two dentists from London, U.K."

"And I ran those names through a growing database of identified casualties from Loki's invasion. They were killed in Stuttgart, Germany at the gala where Loki was first picked up," Maria finished.

Natasha turned her head to Clint, who sat beside her stone faced and unmoving even his breathing was imperceptible.

"Now, what?" Bruce asked what Clint and Natasha didn't voice. "What are we supposed to do with her?"

Natasha kept watching Clint. Some signs of life stirred in his eyes. He clenched his hand until his knuckles were white. Natasha reached over covering his fist with her hand. He still would not look at her.

"Both mother and father were only children themselves to already deceased parents. This girl has no family," Maria summarized. "Hopefully her parents left a final will and testament. We take her back to England and surrender her to social services. Their courts will decide what to do with her."

"That's if she wakes up," Bruce said.

"Either way, we will arrange for transport and get her admitted to a hospital where she will get the care that she needs," Maria replied with a tone of finality indicating that she was ready to move onto the next meeting agenda.

"No," Clint broke his silence at last. "I did this. I have to fix it."

"That's not your call, Barton," Fury said. "Are you a doctor? She needs medical care."

Clint shook his head slowly."No, I don't think that's what she needs. Loki performed some kind of magic on her. He said she was special. I think she might have magic as well that's why he took her." He had eavesdropped that much.

"That's impossible," Thor said. "Magic has not existed on Midgard for at least a thousand years. Witches, wizards, warlocks, mages, they were hunted to extinction by your kind. Did you see her perform any magic?"

"No, but Loki spoke to her as if he saw her do something." Clint had arrived after Hermione had unlocked the door. "He created a bracelet from a strand of his hair and gave it to her."

"And now we can't get it off," Bruce added.

"Then he took something from her and made a ring." Clint looked around the table, only he seemed to care about this little girl. "I have no idea what that means."

That revelation seemed to unsettle Thor. "I need to see this for myself." He got up and made a move toward the exit.

"See what exactly? She's asleep," Natasha called after him.

"Unless you know magic and you can wake her up," Bruce said annoyed that he just thought of that. "Do you know magic?"

"My talents in that area are rather limited, I'm afraid. Only my brother can wake her up. I will talk to him," Thor said with a little too much self-assurance that he will somehow convince Loki to do what he says.

"Looks like that won't be necessary," Tony said looking up from his phone. He got bored when Thor and Jane stopped fighting, so he continued to hack S.H.I.E.L.D databases digging deeper. While Jarvis was working on that in the background, he started flipping through the security cameras on the helicarrier surveillance system as if there were cable channels.

All heads turned to him.

"What? Have you guys not been looking at the monitors?"

"Yes, we have." Maria held up her tablet to show Loki still sitting with his hands bound under Mjolnir. "He's being watched at all times. Not just by me."

"No, not him." He placed his phone on the table and pressed a button to create a hologram projection of the real time security footage showing an empty bed. "Her. There was a girl there last I checked. That's the mini sleeping beauty we're talking about, right?"

Clint got up immediately and rounded over to Tony. "Where did she go?"

"Hang on." Tony knew something was up before everyone else did. He scrolled through the other cameras looking for her and doubled back when he saw something else missing. "Son of a bitch!"

"Language," Steve reminded him.

"The scepter's gone." Tony pulled up the inside of the lab that only had one entry way and was supposed to have been guarded by S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel. Nothing else looked disturbed, so someone just walked in and took it.

Fury gripped the lapel of his jacket and started barking orders into his mic.

A loud crash followed by screams and shouts set off all the alarms, then the overhead lights went out.

"Loki!" Thor growled in frustration.


	4. Death Defying Acts

Loki funneled as much magic as he could into the bracelet Hermione wore in order to make her undetectable. Loki had enough forethought to leave his magical signature around her in the form of jewelry. His power was enhanced near Hermione despite the suppression from Mjolnir because he could also draw from her bracelet as it was his own magic. It also allowed him to talk to her like he was doing when she was near.

"Keep going," Loki prompted her impatiently. Their trip to the loo already took way too much time. It was also a very humiliating experience for Loki that he wished to erase from his memory.

Hermione walked along the corridors timidly. Every now and then she would see an armed guard that would just walk right past her as if they did not see her.

"They cannot see you," Loki explained for the third time. He needed her to retrieve the scepter before they notice that she was missing from her bed. Loki could only maintain one astral projection thanks to Mjolnir's magic, and he needed his current one to instruct her. "Steal that man's key card," he ordered pointing at a pair of S.H.I.E.L.D agents coming their way. They were chatting about the long vacation one of them was going to take after completing their current assignment.

She tugged on the keycard hanging on the guard's belt a little too hard. The clip slid off with a snap. She clutched the card to her chest before scurrying away.

"Something wrong?" Agent One asked Agent Two.

"Yeah, I thought I snagged something." He looked down and behind him wondering what touched him.

"Against what? We're walking in an empty hallway."

Agent Two sighed when he noticed his keycard missing, "I think I dropped my keycard. I gotta go back. I'll catch up with you later." He walked past Hermione and Loki completely oblivious to them.

Loki looked up at the ceiling and exhaled slowly, "that was a little too close to call."

"How many points do I get?" Hermione chirped happily.

"What?"

"For the game," Hermione reminded him obnoxiously. "I got the keycard," she held up the plastic proudly.

"Yes," Loki replied dismissively. "You get a thousand points."

"Can I see my mum and dad now?"

"Almost, now the next step is more difficult. See that door over there?" Loki pointed to a set of double doors guarded by two more guards. "Beyond there is the scepter, which holds my magic. We're going to have to create a localized diversion. Show me what you can do."

Hermione looked up at him with uncertainty.

"Well?" Loki said expectantly. "Are you a witch or not?"

"I don't know," Hermione whined, "witches are ugly and mean. They also eat children like me." Whoever thought Hansel and Gretel was a good story for children probably didn't have any of their own.

Loki just stared at her instantly regretting everything that led to this point where his only hope of escape rested with this five year old child before him. "Do you want to see some more magic?" He knew the answer before she enthusiastically nodded her head.

Loki transformed his astral projection into the body of the guard that she had stolen the keycard from. He pressed a finger to his lips to signal to her to remain quiet despite how giddy and excited she was at the sight of his magic. "Now go hide." He needed to make her visible again so he could draw upon the magic from the bracelet to make himself visible.

Loki marched up straight to the guards. "Hey," he greeted them with a casual nod. He surreptitiously glanced at their badges and saw that they both belonged to engineering. "You two are needed on the lower deck. Stark requested both of you. I'll be relieving you."

Both of them were so flattered to be personally asked to assist Iron Man, they took off without asking any questions. Loki rolled his eyes and beckoned Hermione with a wave of his hand. He changed back and made her undetectable again. She came rushing over and Loki instructed her on how to slide the card through the terminal. The door opened.

"Go get that scepter." He pointed to the weapon sitting on the stand inside the laboratory.

Hermione went inside, retrieved it, and promptly returned to him. It was a little heavy for her size and in her tiny hands it was more like a staff than a scepter.

Loki smiled thinking maybe children weren't so bad when they were obedient. "Another thousand points," he said. "Now, for the finale."

Loki led her to the engine room. They slipped inside with the help of the keycard. Whoever gave that idiot so much security clearance should be fired probably. Loki withdrew his magic making her visible again and refocused it through her bracelet this time to fire a blast from the scepter damaging the cylinders. The sheer force of the explosion threw her back on the floor where she rolled six feet.

Landing on her arm and side, Hermione was uninjured for the most part, but startled enough by the blast and sounding alarms that followed to start crying on the ground.

"Get up!" Loki shouted. "We have to leave. Now!"

She was scared. Flames and smoke began to fill the room as well as the wail of the alarms. Loki heard the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching them. He made her invisible once more when the first wave of help arrived to assess the damage. This was exactly what Loki wanted, chaos.

"Mum…" she cried unmoving from her spot on the ground. "Mummy..."

"Your parents are waiting for you," Loki lied. "You just have to follow me."

Hermione had enough self preservation to finally get off the floor just before being trampled by more incoming S.H.I.E.L.D agents. She held onto the scepter like it was her lifeline and followed Loki out of the engine room. He probably didn't need to cloak her anymore as everyone was too busy frantically trying to save the ship to notice a small child, but she held the scepter and that was the most important thing to him right now.

They arrived at the chamber where Loki was imprisoned finding that it was unguarded thanks to the havoc he had created. Loki's astral form returned to his actual body, where it was still bound to the table by Mjolnir. "Well done Hermione," Loki praised. "You've almost won the game."

Hermione stood in front of him still holding the scepter. She wiped her eyes and scanned her surroundings. "Where's my mum and dad?" The chamber was empty, with them two being the only occupants. "You promised," she started heaving when the tears came again. "I want my mum…" her lips trembled.

"They are coming," Loki reassured her. "Now listen carefully..."

"Hi," Tony whistled and waved to get her attention because clearly children were the same as dogs. "Hermione, right?"

At the sound of her name she looked over to the doorway where Tony stood. She didn't say anything, but nodded affirmatively.

Tony saw her tear streaked face. Nothing made him more uncomfortable than children except crying children."Hey, don't cry. It's going to be okay. I'm Tony. Tony Stark. Iron Man." Tony hoped his hero status would endear himself to her. "Uhh..could you please put down the scepter?"

Hermione had been asleep during the whole invasion and only woke up moments ago, plus she was five. Her heroes were the make believe variety.

The rest of the Avengers showed up and Tony extended his arm blocking them from approaching Hermione because he could tell she was already overwhelmed.

"Hermione, don't listen to him. He's the thief," Loki glared at Tony. "He's the one that stole my magic."

"Who are you calling a thief? Mass murderer!" Tony shot back.

"Bring me the scepter, Hermione!" Loki demanded.

"Hermione, be a good girl and please put the scepter down," Tony cajoled. Neither one of them really knew how to speak to a child.

"This man is a stranger. Remember, we don't talk to strangers," Loki reminded her trying to persuade her using her own logic.

"This is not a game, sweetheart. Put down the scepter. It's dangerous."

"It is a game, give me the scepter if you want to win."

Hermione, who was thoroughly confused, could not decide. Various thoughts flitted through her mind. Should she keep trusting Loki? Her parents were still nowhere to be found. She didn't know who these other people were, but Tony knew her name for some reason. She kept looking between Tony and Loki. The rest of the Avengers were starting to regret letting Stark appoint himself as their negotiator in this bizarre hostage situation, since this was going nowhere and the ship was sinking out of the sky, again. His talents could be better used elsewhere.

"Or else I won't take you to your parents." Loki played his only card once again, except he actually had no idea where her parents were, so it was more of a bluff.

Clint decided at that moment to call his bluff. "He's not going to take you back to your parents."

Everyone looked at Clint as if he was insane. Half of them had a slightly horrified look in their eyes shaking their heads hoping he wasn't going to reveal the truth at the worst possible time.

"Easy there, Barton." Tony warned. "Now is not the time."

"Why not?" Hermione asked. Heimdall's words echoed in her mind. She looked at Loki wanting to ask him, but feared that he would lie to her, a legitimate concern because Loki had only ever lied to her.

Clint looked her right in the eye before dropping the bomb."Because they're dead. I killed them."

"Barton!" Tony harped in an octave higher than usual. He stared at him in disbelief. "You're not helping."

Amused, Loki smiled mischievously, "oh, that's a twist. I did not see that coming."

"You told me to," Clint accused. "You made …" Clint, still raw from the after effects of the mind control, had his own PTSD that would take years for him to get over. He was a victim just as Hermione was, but at that moment he suddenly felt like a coward blaming Loki.

"I said kill anyone that tries to take her," Loki replied evenly. "Good to know you can follow orders."

"You're right. Her parents came after us, and I gave the order to kill them." Clint turned his attention to Hermione again. "It was me, Hermione. I killed your parents. I'm sorry. I am so sorry."

Hermione clutched the scepter closer to herself. A strange feeling came over her. Five was barely old enough to comprehend death or the permanence of it despite her precociousness. She was aware of death. She had never met either of her grandparents because they died before she was born. There was Dingy, the Granger's family cat that took a nap one day and never woke up. There was that butterfly that landed on her hand before Dennis snatched it from her crushing in his hands while taunting her. Clint looked more devastated by this news than she was. She just appeared in a daze as she tried to process what Clint had said to her and what her mind could reference as death.

Clint was not sure if what he said registered with her. He took a slow step forward. "I know you can never trust me because of what I've done. I have no right to ask anything of you, but please don't go with Loki," Clint begged. He took a few more cautious steps toward her. "He will only use you and hurt you."

Loki feigned confusion."My real father left me to fend for myself in the frozen landscape of Jotunheim when I was a baby. How am I supposed to know how parents look after their young on this planet? She was all alone when I found her. I merely adopted her. Much like what Odin did to me."

"This is not a matter of cultural misunderstanding, Loki!" Thor shouted. "Our father saved you by the way. You were left to die."

"Yes, I know because you won't stop mentioning that every chance you get," Loki raised his voice to match his brother's.

Something in Hermione finally clicked. She realized that this was not a game, and she was never going to see her parents ever again. Her magic flowed through the scepter in her hands creating a blast taking out the back wall and half of the floor. Everything went to hell in seconds.

Loki smirked as he fell backwards into the hole caused by the blast. He looked over to see Hermione screaming as she fell into the opening.

Only two of the six Avengers could actually fly. Clint wasn't one of them, but he jumped in right after Thor.

"Clint!" Natasha called. She rushed over to the edge. When she saw that Tony was standing next to her, she shouted,"why are you still here?! Get in the air!"

"I'm trying. My first and backup suits were damaged from all the heroic feats I performed today in case you have forgotten. This one isn't even out of beta testing yet." The cuffs on his wrists staggered making whirring sounds as it expanded into his gauntlets. "That's not a good sign."

The wind made it hard for Natasha to hear him, but she looked like she was about to push him over the edge if he didn't jump soon, so Tony penciled dived into the hole hoping his armor would follow or Thor would catch him.

"Someone grab the scepter!" Steve shouted. In the midst of the chaos, the scepter was thrown into the air and landed precariously on the edge of the hole.

"I got it!" Natasha was the closest. She grabbed it before it went over the edge. Turbulence jolted the helicarrier causing Natasha to lose her footing with nothing to grab around her she fell in, but caught a steel rebar. Dangling in the air she used her upper body strength to attempt a single arm pullup thirty thousand feet above the ground.

Steve rushed over to help her. Grabbing her forearm, he pulled. The remaining damaged floor creaked under his weight combined with Natasha's and gave in when the Hulk, who had absorbed a lot of the blast having thrown himself in front of everyone else, came to the rescue. As the floor collapsed from their combined weight, the Hulk grabbed both Steve and Natasha and all three took the plunge. No time to waste, the Hulk flung them back through the hole knowing he would survive the fall. Maybe it was luck or he had really good aim but they managed to land roughly but safely back inside the chamber. Groaning, Steve and Natasha pushed themselves up so that they could watch as the rest of their teammates fall at the mercy of the wind their bodies getting smaller and smaller.

"Clint!" Natasha shouted.

"Let's pull him up," Steve yelled.

Immediately after he jumped, Clint turned himself around taking his bow, he shot an arrow containing a retractable cable spearing the bottom of the ship. Anchored to the rope he repelled down attempting to catch Hermione, but unfortunately he miscalculated the wind and ship speed running out of rope just as his fingers grazed her tiny arm. He cursed loudly, which was swallowed by the wind. Now he was just dragging behind the ship flapping like a leaf in a storm. Steve and Natasha tugged on the wire and began pulling him up.

Loki still falling backwards at an angle with Mjolnir pinning his hands to his chest grinned at Thor before looking over at Hermione, who was a fair distance away tumbling like a small boulder in an avalanche forcing Thor to make a choice.

Pure rage flashed across Thor's face as he summoned his hammer. He used it to propel himself toward Hermione, who screamed so loud that it actually carried through the wind reaching Thor's sensitive ears.

Freed from Mjolnir at last, Loki pulled his wrists apart snapping the chain and cuffs. Spotting Iron Man headed towards him, he threw a magically charged dagger toward Clint as his cable was drawing him back up cutting it before he made it to safety. Then he transformed himself into a beautiful crane blending in with a passing flock.

Fully armored up, Tony fired his repulsor killing a few unlucky birds while the rest scattered. Looking up he realized that he was not the only one losing altitude. Clint was in a free fall and the ship looked like it was going to follow suit.

"Stark! Where the hell are you?! We're going down!" Fury screamed over his comm.

Rolling his eyes thinking why he had to do everything, he replied, "on my way." He grabbed Clint on his way up. "Buddy, we gotta call you something else other than Hawkeye cause you can't fly. I suppose we could just call you Eye, but that's my secret nickname for Fury."

Clint didn't care. He couldn't possibly break anymore from this day. He mouthed Hermione's name since his microphone was just picking up wind.

"I'm sure Thor got her," Tony said, which Clint's earpiece picked up.

They were met by Clint and Tony. Tony's Iron Mask retracted. "Great, once again I'm the only one here that can save the ship," he said annoyed. "I'm going to see where the damage is." His mask closed over his face before he flew off to do damage control.

"What do we do?" Natasha asked.

"We either get everyone evacuated or prepare for a crash landing," Steve answered.

* * *

Elsewhere on the helicarrier Fury was barking orders and the skeleton crew was scrambling to meet them. For the second time that day they were about to fall out of the sky.

"We're going to have to perform another miracle on the Hudson," Fury said.

"But sir, we're over the Atlantic," a fresh face agent by the name of Ryan pointed out.

"Yes, I know that. The Atlantic is still water. We're going to have to land in water, son." Fury stood dignified and calm on the bridge while everyone else ran around like headless chickens.

"We've only done this in simulations, since this is the first time the helicarrier has ever taken flight," Ryan gulped, "and we're descending too fast!"

"Then slow this down or we're going to crash into the water like a watermelon on asphalt," Fury ordered.

"Change the trajectory to follow the primary direction of the wind. The extra lift from underneath will allow us to glide longer in the air even if the power goes out," Jane suggested. "That should slow us down enough. This aircraft is also large enough to withstand the waves even if we don't land in calm waters."

"Do what she says," Fury commanded menacingly.

Ryan made the holy sign of the cross and followed orders. He tried to stay positive. At least if he died, he would no longer have to pay his student loans.

Tony's face popped up in the main monitor. "Dr. Foster and Dr. Selvig, I forgot you two were on board. I require your assistance."

Jane nodded, "I'm not an engineer, but I'll do my best. Where do you need us?"

"Uhh...you'll know, there's a lot of smoke, wind, and screaming for our lives where I'm at."

"Alright, let's go." Selvig grabbed some oxygen masks along with other safety equipment and followed Jane out.

"Stark, give us an update," Maria said tersely.

"The propellers and jets are intact, but the engines are failing. Oh, and Loki pulled a Houdini and escaped." The screen flipped to the camera in Loki's cell revealing a gaping hole where Loki was supposed to be.

No one was really surprised at the last bit of news. The screen flipped back to Tony.

"I'll do what I can to get the engines back online but we should have a plan B," was the last thing Tony said before the screen went black.

"What do we do now?" Maria turned to Fury.

"I need that hole sealed off before we land this son of a bitch or else we're going down like the Titanic."

* * *

Falling from the sky Thor righted himself like a cat landing on his feet in a small clearing. The impact left a small crater throwing up dirt. Hermione continued to scream even as the dust cleared. She started kicking and pushing against Thor "lemme go! Let me go!" she wailed and coughed. When that didn't work she started pulling his hair. This all amounted to the annoyance of a gnat buzzing around an elephant with Thor being the elephant.

He jumped out of the crater in a single bound still holding her."Ah!" Thor held her at arm's length when she wouldn't stop struggling. "You're a fighter," Thor remarked.

Just then Thor's cape caught on fire. He dropped her and she ran off.

Thor quickly put out the blue flames. Not like that could actually hurt him, but this was his favorite cape. "Hey!" Thor ran after her. He easily caught up with her blocking her path. She almost crashed into his incredibly dense body, but at the last second he slipped his hands underneath her arms and lifted her up.

"PUT ME DOWN!" she kicked her legs which dangled comically as Thor held her.

"Will you stop running?" Thor tried negotiating.

"No!" she barked.

Thor sighed tiredly,"then I'm not putting you down."

She glared at him with all the disdain a five year old could muster.

"What is your name?" Thor asked. He knew what it was, but wanted he thought proper introductions were in order after what they just went through.

She stubbornly refused to answer pressing her lips together tightly as if to physically contain the answer in her mouth.

"I'm Thor, son of Odin," Thor started. "Prince of Asgard."

"I know," she said unkindly not paying any reverence towards him. "You know Loki."

"Indeed, I do. He's my brother."

"Is it true?" Tears welled up in her eyes. "Did Loki and that bad man kill my parents?"

Thor swallowed heavily, his eyes filled with pity, he nodded, "yes," he said softly.

Hermione started thrashing in his hold again. "I don't believe you! Why should I trust you?"

Thor finally set her down relieved when she didn't immediately take off. "I have no reason to lie to you."

"I don't care! I want my mum and dad." The tears started to pour then.

Thor was at a loss of words. He knelt down awkwardly, so they were more even in height. He was not sure how to comfort her. "I am sorry. They are gone," he said softly.

"LIAR!"

Still in a crouching position, he shifted closer to her. "I'm not lying. Loki, my brother. He lies about a lot of things, but he did order your parents to be killed. I'm sorry. I -" Thor never thought a child could bring him to his knees, to his breaking point. War was a game to him. Killing was a sport. Mercy had no place in war. He left every battlefield a victor along with a strewn of corpses in his wake without a thought about who or what got left behind.

"Why?!" she screamed at him. She balled up her tiny fists as if she was about to attack him. "Why did he kill my mum and dad?"

"I don't...I don't know. Sometimes people hurt each other for no reason."

"Then he's a bully! He's a bad person!" she cried. There was so much hate and hostility in her eyes that Thor's chest ached when he looked at her.

Thor didn't even try to defend his brother. "He is. There are bad people in this world."

"I want him to die!" she screeched. She screamed and wailed until her face was red and wet with tears. Then she ran away from Thor into the tall grass, but didn't get very far probably due to hunger and her previous bout of accidental magic combined with her body going through such an emotional upheaval along with the lack of shoes.

Thor followed her, keeping his distance and found her resting beneath a tree huddled at the base of the trunk with her back towards him. He heard her choking on her tears and sobs trying to breath through her grief as the shock finally settled. He didn't approach her until he heard her breathing even out. Peering over her, he saw that she had finally cried herself to sleep. Careful not to wake her he gathered her in his arms. She weighed nothing compared to the guilt that settled within him. Resting her head on his shoulder, he felt her tiny heart beat against his. He didn't want to disturb her and ruin the only respite she was going to get from this nightmare, so he walked silently listening to the sound of her quiet breathing, the grass crunching beneath his feet, and the insects chirping. Watching the night descend as he aimlessly wandered with just his thoughts his hammer slung to his belt. He didn't know where he was going or what he was going to do. He looked down at the sleeping girl with the realization that her world had been changed, no, destroyed forever.

**AN: The "are you a witch or not?" is a reference to** _**HP and The Philosopher's Stone.** _**Anyone remember that scene? It still makes me laugh. **

**Also after doing some extensive research on ditching, I think I'm going to study the safety brochure in depth next time I'm waiting for take off O.o I hate flying so. much.**

**I changed the rating to M due to future violence, murder, dub con references (when they're of age! Not that it's okay either), and overall disturbing content. **


	5. The Omen

3500 miles away in an unremarkable house on lot number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey England another orphan stayed huddled inside a dusty cupboard underneath the stairs biding his time until his guardians turned in for the night. He had memorized the Dursley's routine. After several helpings of dinner, Dudley was given a bath and tucked into bed. Petunia learned early on that the only way to appease her foul-tempered human balloon was to overfeed him. At 7 stone and 39 inches tall he was neither pudgy, chubby, or any of the endearments given to cute but slightly rotund pets and children. Almost five years old, he was an unsightly fleshy boulder that could no longer be carried by his mum compared to Harry, who was a slight and underfed boy. His small stature made all the more obvious when swathed in Dudley's sweat stained hand me downs.

After Dudley was put to bed with more bribes of sweets usually laced with brandy, an exhausted and disheveled Petunia settled into the living room to watch the local nightly news. They must stay informed in order to ridicule. Tonight instead of which dog took best in show in the local circuit or which elderly person caused a fatal five car accident on a busy motorway, it was a live stream of news from America.

"_The invasion of New York has come to an end with catastrophic casualties. No one knows where these so called aliens came from."_

"_The dust has cleared and these 'heroes' are nowhere to be found."_

"_The damage and clean up has been estimated to be in the billions of dollars. All of midtown Manhattan from 34th to 59th have been shut down causing traffic delays, displacement of residents and businesses alike."_

"_Who is going to pay for all of this?"_

"_The taxpayers of course, the victims in this global disaster."_

"_With all the talk of recovery and rebuilding, I think we're forgetting something. We're not asking the most important question here."_

"_Why did this happen? More importantly, how do we prevent another attack?"_

"What has this world come to?" Petunia gasped clutching the collar of her shirt. Her eyes bugged out of her long horse face exaggerating her uncomely features.

Next to her sat a walrus, who was also her husband and of equal unattractiveness because ugliness finds a way to breed, naturally with each other. "It's gone to hell that's what!" Vernon pounded his hamhock of a fist into the armrest. He was but a trifle - no - a biscuit away from being permanently bed bound to the couch he sat on, which was also another kilo from collapsing after only a few years of being Vernon Dursley's ass sweat repository.

"Do you think..." She looked apprehensively toward the locked cupboard. "His kind had anything to do with this?"

"Ha! We could only hope. It's time our government finally did something about them. You said your sister went to school with a load of other freaks. They must be everywhere! I say they should be arrested! Thrown into prison!" The conviction behind his statement turned him a most unflattering shade of purple as if he were asphyxiating under the weight of his fat. "They're a menace to society!" he declared.

Petunia nervously dabbed the beads of sweat on Vernon's face with a handkerchief. For someone his size, getting angry (no matter how righteous it may seem) was enough to raise blood pressure and induce cardiac arrest.

"I'm telling you we should have gone to the police! Your sister and her no good husband," he seethed. "They were unnatural. They were dangerous!" Vernon ranted, his three chins jiggling to match his fury.

"But who would have believed us?" Petunia simpered.

"I bet they would now," he wheezed.

Noticing his distress Petunia asked, "should I get your sleep apnea mask, darling?"

He waved his beefy hand at her dismissively."We could get rid of him finally. Tell them he's one of those things on the news." His beady little eyes lit up with glee. He continued to cough and laugh. "They have to believe us now. I'm going straight to the station with him tomorrow, and I'm going to leave him there," he sniggered.

Petunia nodded eagerly. "Let's go to bed." She shut off the TV and pushed and pulled her whale of a husband off the couch. It was a two person job and her back suffered for it.

Harry saw the light from beneath the crack go out. He waited knowing that his uncle took his time going up the stairs. The Dursleys had soundproofed the cupboard years ago so they wouldn't have to listen to him cry when he was an infant, but the stairs still creaked under his uncle's tremendous size. Bits of splintered wood fell onto Harry's head from the strain caused by Vernon as he lumbered up the stairs with the grace expected of a massively obese man. His joints popped and cracked in tandem with the creaking of the stairs. He shooed Petunia away too proud to accept any more help from her.

Harry waited a while before unlocking the cupboard with his magic having discovered that he had such abilities at the very young age of three. Every once in a while even the greatest minds were wrong, and in this case Dumbledore had made a very grave mistake despite his best intentions. The ancient magic that saved Harry from the killing curse was not well documented nor understood given how rare the occurrence was. Coupled with the wizarding world's lack of understanding of human psychology, the decision to leave Harry with the Dursleys inadvertently created the perfect pressure cooker to bring Voldemort back.

Dumbledore had assumed incorrectly that the protective shield created by Lily's sacrifice would hold as long as a blood relative took Harry in as their own, but his theory had a single flaw. Magic needed other magic to strengthen itself and not only was Petunia so ordinary, from her below average IQ to her homely and unappealing features, her lack of skill set rendered her only useful as a homemaker, not to mention she was appalling as a mother. Her only real talent was gossiping and spying on her neighbors, but her most glaring shortcoming was that her middling muggle self held not an ounce of magic. That very magic she envied in Lily that made her sister so special among other things. It was that same jealousy and resentment that caused her to neglect Harry. The Dursleys never laid a hand on Harry despite being terrible and downright nasty human beings. They fed him, they cleaned him, but they never loved him. In the absence of love, something sinister grew. The horcrux that planted itself inside Harry's body the night Lily and James Potter were murdered fed on the emptiness of the unwanted child, having found its perfect host.

Harry stepped out into the dark living room with his empty pillow case and went into the kitchen. He stopped in front of the refrigerator first. Any opportunity to nick some food, he took advantage of it. Sadly, there were rarely any leftovers, but there was a small bit of sticky toffee pudding left. It was Dudley's favorite pudding, and Petunia probably squirreled it away for Dudley's breakfast, despite him already toeing the line between wearing adult sizes and developing adult onset diabetes. But Dudley needed something to eat, while she cooked him breakfast, or else he got violent and beat his mother with his beefy fists.

Harry grabbed a fistful of the cake. It was cold, congealed, but still sticky. He ate quickly under the cover of darkness as he had done numerous times before.

Climbing onto the counter he opened the cabinet and filled his pillowcase full of the Dursley's most expensive glassware and returned to his cupboard. He closed the door and turned on the light. Laying a blanket on top of the pillowcase full of glass, he crushed it into shards with a frying pan he took from the kitchen. He brushed his long black hair out of the way revealing a fading lightning scar on his forehead. Petunia couldn't be bothered to cut his hair.

He reached into a dark corner and took out the spool of fishing wire he had stolen from the shed while he was outside pulling weeds for Petunia all afternoon. It was in one of Vernon's forgotten tackle boxes - since he no longer fit on a boat, he no longer fished. He also stole a box of matches from the kitchen drawer.

Leaving the cupboard for the last time he silently moved up the stairs. At the top of the stairs he peeled back the corner of the carpet. He had loosened a nail on the floorboard earlier that day so he could tie the fishing wire around it. He unspooled just enough to create a taut and nearly invisible wire tying the other end to the railing. Satisfied with his work he began to lay the broken glass almost meticulously on each step. Just for fun he added another trip wire at the bottom of the staircase too.

The Dursleys had very bad taste in decor and furniture, another one of Petunia's deficiencies on top of everything else, her lack of taste was most egregious. Everything was covered in a ghastly floral print - from the wallpaper, the quilted coverlets in the bedroom, to the dated living room set, which incidentally was made of rayon, a highly flammable fabric.

Harry opened the box and took out a matchstick striking it on the strip on the outside. The match lit on the first try. He studied the flame curiously as it burned before tossing it on the couch. It landed on the sizeable dent where Vernon usually sat. The flames kindled and fed on the synthetic material until it grew big enough to consume the whole couch and soon the living room.

The smoke alarm sounded and Harry looked up when he heard his uncle cursing and coughing. No doubt they had smelled the smoke rising rapidly to the second level. Vernon appeared at the landing his face red from exertion and panic. He pointed his thick finger at Harry, who watched him with a blank expression by the front door.

"You! Boy!" Vernon couldn't see his feet past his wide girth much less the wire, so predictably he tripped and fell down the stairs, landing with a loud thud. He laid there with his neck broken, eyes open and vacant, blood seeped into his white nightgown blooming into red blotches where the glass had penetrated his skin.

Petunia's screams of horror mixed with Dudley's cries as they watched the flames encroach the base of stairs cooking her husband's bloated body. They were trapped. Harry opened the front door and looked back past the flickering flames and rising smoke that separated them to see their terrified desperate faces before running into the night.

**AN: If you guys can't already tell, I don't have children. I had to research every little thing from when they start speaking, reading, cleaning themselves, going to the bathroom on their own, how big they are at every age.**** There's an article from **_**The Atlantic **_**called "When Your Child Is a Psychopath." Apparently kids can be identified as having psychopathic tendencies as early as 3 or 4, which is how old Harry is in this chapter (he's nearing five and Hermione is nearing six). They've also studied breastfeeding babies that bite their mothers and laugh. **


	6. We Need to Talk About Hermione

Eventually Thor and Hermione were picked up by the search party S.H.I.E.L.D sent, which was a quinjet piloted by Natasha with Jane in the co-pilot's seat. Hermione woke briefly, but didn't protest at being held by Thor. She just stared out the window silently before closing her eyes again.

Jane glanced back at the two of them. She gave Thor a soft smile before turning back around. Nobody said anything during the whole ride back to civilization.

Natasha landed the quinjet on a private airstrip where a car was waiting for them.

"Where are we going?" Thor asked. He covered Hermione's head with his hand and ducked to exit the opening of the plane following Jane and Natasha.

"Back to New York," Natasha said descending the steps of the quinjet. "Fury doesn't want us anywhere near the helicarrier anymore. His exact words were that the taxpayers don't deserve to be punished like that. Of course he would rather us be in a cabin in the middle of nowhere where we can't cause so much structural damage, but that's not where we're going."

One hour long car ride later they arrived at one of the three residential properties Tony owned in Manhattan. This one was an impressive five story brownstone with six bedrooms and six baths on the Upper West Side. A historic building that was the antithesis of Stark.

Tony and Bruce greeted them on the stoop.

"Is she alright?" Bruce was worried she had fallen into a deep sleep again when he saw Thor carrying her. He was relieved when Hermione yawned and rubbed her eyes. "It's been a long day for everyone, let's get inside."

The interior was updated, but still homey. It didn't look like a place where Iron Man would sleep at night.

"Home sweet home," Tony said as they entered the foyer. "This was the only place we could get ready on such short notice. Not Jarvis compatible unfortunately, so we'll just have to slum it like regular folks," Tony said like the out of touch point zero zero zero one percenter that he was. "You missed the grand tour by the way."

Thor, Hermione, Natasha, and Jane were the last to arrive.

"I'll leave you guys to fight over the rooms America's Next Top Model style, just don't wet the bed. Otherwise, make yourselves at home."

"What about Hermione?" Thor asked.

She perked up at the sound of her name.

"We'll take her," Natasha said. She held out her arms gesturing to Thor to hand over the girl.

For all the fighting and screaming Hermione did earlier she tightened her arms around Thor's neck not wanting to let go of him. She saw too many strange and unfamiliar faces today, and while she didn't particularly like Thor's, his face was the least strange by far after their little heart to heart following their crash landing. He did save her after all. She buried her face in his neck and her bushy mane stuck out like a burrowing porcupine's spines.

Natasha gently pried her off of Thor with some coaxing from both of them. She thought it would be awkward to hold her so she just set her down.

Now that the fire and rage had died down in her, she suddenly felt shy. Normally a very talkative girl, she was silent. Far from home surrounded by strangers, she thought about running back to Thor and clinging to his leg, but then Jane stood in front of him blocking her path.

"Hi Hermione, my name is Jane and this is Natasha." Jane didn't have to bend over too far being so petite herself. "Are you still tired? You want to go back to sleep?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Are you hungry?" Jane asked.

Hermione nodded.

Jane smiled happy she was getting somewhere, "let's get you fed then. What do you like to eat, Hermione?" She extended her hand hoping that she would take it.

Hermione stood there motionless not able to decide on anything. She stared at Jane's hand like it was dog unsure whether it was friendly or about to bite her.

"How about pizza?" Natasha suggested mostly because all kids liked it and they could order it while they got her cleaned up. Her pajamas were all muddy. She looked like she had been left in the woods for days.

"Okay," she said not looking at Natasha. She took Jane's hand and the three of them walked up the stairs.

"I second that." Tony whipped out his smartphone and dialed his favorite pizzeria. "Yes, this is Tony Stark. Hey Ed. How's it going?" There were some enthusiastic exclamatory words coming for the other end. "Yeah, that was me. You're welcome. Anyways, I'd like to order one of everything." He hung up and turned to Bruce and Thor, "drink, anyone?" Tony motioned them to move into the family room. "I think we've earned it."

Then the doorbell rang and they all turned back toward the door.

"Were you expecting anyone else?" Thor asked.

"No, but I think I know who it is." Tony walked back to the foyer his feet dragging. He opened the door to find Maria and Fury standing at the top of his stoop.

Fury glanced around noting the beautiful facade. "Nice house."

"Thanks, my old man bought it for my mom." He blocked the doorway not letting them enter. "What are you two doing here? If you're here for the pizza party, you're too early. Come back next week." He tried to shut the door and of course Fury blocked it with his foot.

"We need to talk," Fury asserted.

Annoyed, Tony asked, "can this wait? We've had a very long day. I'm tired. This may surprise you, but I'm not actually made of iron. I'm made of organic matter just like you, and I occasionally need to sleep."

"Terror never sleeps and neither do I," Fury said without breaking eye contact.

"That explains why you're always so grumpy," Tony muttered.

"It's about the girl," Maria said. She looked equally tired, but not a hair was out of place and somehow in between them safely landing off the New England coast and evacuating the helicarrier systematically by airlift, she managed to change into another perfectly pressed uniform.

Thor edged his way to the front. "Hermione? What about her?"

Tony sighed loudly. He gave up. "Fine, but you're not staying for dinner." Tony finally moved out of the way so they could come inside.

They walked into the kitchen. It was warm, so Tony opened the french doors that led out to the garden.

Maria spoke first. "Where is she?"

"Upstairs. Jane and Natasha are getting her cleaned up," Bruce answered.

"We're here to pick her up," Fury said wasting no time. "You may now release her into S.H.I.E.L.D's custody."

"Wait, hold on. Why do you get her?" Tony asked abruptly suspicious of their intent. "Just hours ago you were ready to dump her in a hospital and forget about her."

"That was before she blew our ship out of the sky." Maria leaned against the Italian marble countertop folding her arms primly.

"Oh, so you're going to arrest her for destroying government property?" Tony said sarcastically.

"She's a British citizen. Normally, she would be relinquished to the state if a caregiver is not named in the will. But seeing how she has enhanced abilities, it's not exactly safe for her or other children to go into foster care and her new caregivers may not have the ability or resources to look after her properly. So S.H.I.E.L.D will take her," Maria explained.

"You just decided that?" Tony asked waving his index finger between Maria and Fury. "The two of you?"

"Wait, how do you know she has special powers? Maybe Loki was just using her as a conduit or had her under a spell like what he did with Barton and Selvig," Bruce proposed. They were all still very new to the notion of magic and how it worked. "I mean we still haven't been able to get that bracelet off. It clearly has some power over her. We just don't know to what extent though."

"They've done some digging." Tony pulled out his phone.

"And you have to," Fury countered. "We're an intelligence agency, it's our job to monitor these types of things. What's your reason?"

"Just curious," Tony pressed a button on his phone and a holographic file of Hermione popped up.

"Is that S.H.I.E.L.D's? " Bruce asked Fury and Maria.

"No, it's her school file," Tony answered for them. "Good school. Good grades. Reading almost three years above her grade level. It says here that her teacher even made the very rare suggestion that she skip a grade because she tested well and had a September birthday. I also suspect it was an excuse to move her to a different class altogether because she had issues with her classmates."

"What kinds of issues?" Bruce asked.

"The other children were afraid of her." Tony kept scrolling through the file.

"Well she did tank the helicarrier and aided the escape of a very high profile and dangerous criminal," Fury pointed out. "She sounds like trouble."

"She's five. She was also bullied. A lot. A group of boys would collectively tease her about her hair until she cried, so she turned their hair bright pink," Tony read through the file. "They assumed she somehow dyed their hair during playtime behind the teacher's back calling her a troublemaker. Next time these boys cornered her, their hair grew out until they all looked like Cousin Itt. That was when they started having a hard time explaining these things. There's a whole file's worth of similar incidences."

Maria looked over Tony's phone scanning the content as he scrolled."For all that was listed, the school and the parents didn't do much. If that were my kid, I'd have her committed," Maria said, "or at least call an exorcist." Her demeanor and tone indicated that she was serious, but she was also a by the books no nonsense woman that didn't believe in such things like exorcisms and magic.

Bruce was starting to come around to the idea that Hermione was indeed special now that the evidence was laid out in front of him. "The rational mind will convince itself or come up with explanations to justify inexplicable things. For example, you buy an old, creepy abandoned house and the first night you stay there you hear a noise, what's your first thought?"

"Old leaky pipes."

"It is haunted by spirits."

Maria and Thor, who were both leaning against the same kitchen counter, gave each other the side eye.

"It could be either, I guess. But that's my point. People can rationalize away anything they don't understand in order to make it fit within their world view," Bruce concluded.

"Well today's events have certainly changed my worldview," said Tony. "I'm tired now. Are we finished?"

"No, not until we decide what to do with her," Fury said. "There's a pattern. Her magic or special ability is tied to her emotions something Loki was able to exploit, which means others can too."

"All the more reason for us to take her in," Maria said. "She's a danger to herself and others."

"No, you will not," Thor interjected. My brother did this. I will atone for him. I will take the girl."

Nick Fury stepped over to Thor. His heavy boots thudding against the renovated hardwood floor. Eying him critically, he sized Thor up. "That's very noble of you. Are you going to adopt the rest of the orphaned children too?" he mocked. "The ones that also lost their parents because your brother decided to unleash an alien army on this city?"

Tony came to Thor's defense. "Are you? You're only interested in her because of her special powers. Something you and your seedy organization would want to exploit. I hacked into your data files. Winter soldiers? Human experiments. Creating super soldiers. Yeah, I know all about that. There are no lines you wouldn't cross." Tony came toe to toe with Fury. "And I've barely scratched the surface of what I've found."

Fury was not the least bit intimidated being the taller man. "All in the name of national security. In case you have already forgotten, the whole world was under attack from an alien invasion. "And you are one to talk!" Fury barked. He pointed an accusing finger at him. "Get off of your high horse, Stark. You are a glorified arms dealer. How many deaths are on your hands? Fury questioned accusingly. "I'm sure the number correlates positively with your profits."

"Enough!" Thor roared. "You are not taking this child! You cannot keep her safe. Until we know what Loki wanted with her or we catch him, she is safest in Asgard."

Fury let out a sharp laugh. "He let her take a plunge from thirty thousand feet in the air not even attempting to save her. She's disposable to him."

"That does not mean that he won't come back for her when it suits him," Thor responded grimly.

Bruce agreed with him, "Thor's right. We can't even get the damn bracelet off. It must be a sort of tracking device too because he was aware of her presence on the ship."

"Let me take her to my mother. If anyone can undo Loki's magic, it would be her," Thor's tone indicated that he wasn't asking for permission.

"That's the thing. We still don't know where Loki is. Like you said maybe he'll come back for her," Maria said.

"Are you suggesting we use her to lure him out of hiding?" Bruce asked his discomfort for their blurry ethics showing.

"No one is using this girl as bait," Thor said with finality. "She will want for nothing if I take her to Asgard. She will be protected and looked after. Her abilities are not unique to our kind. I'm taking her. You cannot stop me."

"I have to say that I am with Hammer Time on this."

"Me too," Bruce added.

A lull came after that signifying the end of that discussion.

"We're not just here for the girl," Fury said. "Where is the scepter?"

* * *

"Hermione?" Jane called. "Everything okay in there?" Jane stood next to the door they had left ajar. There was the sound of splashing and few bath bottles knocking around. Natasha had gone downstairs to see if the food was here, but really she was going to greet Clint at the front door. Jane didn't know anything about children, so she was nervous when Hermione said she could bathe by herself. After Natasha filled up the tub up with just enough water to create a shallow bath, she reassured Jane that it was fine for Hermione to be alone in the tub as long as they stayed on the other side of the door and listen for any signs of trouble. When Jane asked if Natasha had any children of her own because she seemed so comfortable with them, Natasha replied that she was an aunt to two really awesome kids.

The sound of tiny wet feet pitter pattering against the tile floor announced her impending arrival. Jane backed away and the door creaked open. Hermione came out wet with a towel wrapped around herself.

"Oh no,"Jane looked down at Hermione. Her bushy brown hair was damp and frizzing from the humid bathroom, but it also looked matted in some places. "Do you need some help with your hair?"

Hermione nodded.

"Okay," Jane ushered her back into the bathroom. She figured that her mother helped wash her hair. She drained the tub and placed a clean towel on the bottom of it for Hermione's comfort.

Still wrapped in her own towel she sat down on the bathtub and tilted her head back assuming the position to have her hair washed.

Jane giggled softly. She had always been on the fence about children and thought they were a maybe somewhere very far down the line after she became a Nobel Laureate or had a constant named after her. She grabbed the shower head and turned on the tap. Rerouting the water to the showerhead, she tested the water temperature on her hand before gently spraying some water on Hermione's head careful not to get any in her eyes. "Is this okay? Not too hot?"

"It's fine," Hermione answered.

Once her hair was thoroughly wet, Jane turned off the water. The shampoo was on the other side of the ridiculously large tub beyond Jane's reach.

"Hermione, could you hand me the shampoo?"

Hermione didn't move but fixed her stare at the shampoo. The bottle went flying towards her, but Jane just barely caught it despite her initial shock.

Hermione blinked. "Sorry."

Jane raised her eyebrows. "Apology accepted. Now lean back."

Hermione obeyed and waited patiently while Jane lathered up her hands and started shampooing her head.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Jane asked as she washed her hair.

Hermione paused thoughtfully. "Um...sometimes it just happens. I can't control it all the time. One time I blew out all the lightbulbs in our house because mum wouldn't let me go until I finished all my peas. I hate peas!"

Jane laughed, "I hate them too."

"Sometimes if I want something badly enough I get it."

"That's interesting. You'll have to show me some more of your magic later. But first we have to get you clean and fed."

"Mum said that magic doesn't exist."

Jane's hands stilled. "Hmm...Do you know who Arthur C. Clarke is?"

"No.."

"He's a sci-fi writer and all around nerd. He said magic is just science we don't understand yet," Jane answered as she started rinsing the shampoo out of her hair. "Do you like science, Hermione?"

Hermione cracked a small smile, "yes."

Her smiling made Jane smile. "I have some cool things to show you later." She took a clean towel started the arduous process of drying Hermione's hair.

* * *

Natasha left Hermione in Jane's care when she got a text from Clint. He was downstairs. She hovered a minute by the staircase listening to the conversation in the kitchen before answering the door.

"What are you doing here?" Natasha shut the door behind her so they could have some privacy.

Clint scratched his head. "I couldn't go home, yet. I can't face them." He looked tired and agitated.

"I don't think you should be here either."

"I know," Clint said pacing in front of her. "How is she?"

"She's fine. She hasn't said much, but we've been able to handle her."

Clint looked up."You don't know that for sure. You don't know that she is fine. Kids do what they need to survive. They bury their hurt and pain, but this loss will follow her for the rest of her life."

Natasha folded her arms."Given the circumstances, I think she's doing pretty well. Let's just worry about the now."

"Exactly," Clint exhaled, "what happens now?"

"Fury and Hill are here. They want to take her into S.H.I.E.L.D. Thor seems to think she should go to Asgard instead. I think she'll be well taken care of."

Clint seemed appeased by that."As long as you guys don't dump her into foster care then she'll be fine."

"Even if that's her best shot at having a normal life?" Natasha raised her eyebrows. "I'm pretty sure what Thor is planning on doing constitutes kidnapping."

"It's still a better alternative. If it's between surrendering her to S.H.I.E.L.D or leaving her in foster care. I grew up in the system, I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"The U.S. system isn't in anyway indicative of how things are run in the U.K. Besides, she's an adorable little English girl."

"With magical powers," Clint added.

"I'm sure someone will adopt her permanently," Natasha sighed. This conversation was wearing on her.

"No, even without her enhanced abilities prospective parents aren't exactly looking for an older kid that remembers the trauma of losing their parents. It's why infants get snatched up and older kids go from foster home to foster home until they're eighteen. Being a parent is hard enough without the kid coming in with serious damage. They want a blank slate."

"S.H.I.E.L.D can monitor her from a safe distance. What happened to you, will not happen to her."

Clint was not satisfied with that answer.

And Natasha could tell. "I'll keep an eye on her. I won't let S.H.I.E.L.D. turn her into a weapon either."

"Excuse me," a pimply teenager interrupted them, "is this the Stark residence?" He poked his head out from around the stack of pizzas he was carrying. There was at least a dozen boxes.

The door opened. "Right on time," Tony rubbed his hands together. "Fury, Ms. Hill, it was nice talking to you, but you gotta go."

Fury and Maria squeezed past Tony.

"Romanoff," Fury nodded, "Barton, you should be on leave. I better not see you on Monday," he said not looking back as he and Maria got into their vehicle.

Tony paid the boy a very generous tip and took a picture with him. "Little help here, guys?" Tony handed a box of pizza to Clint. "Except for you. You need to scram. I can't have Hermione see you and blow up my house," he half joked.

Clint looked at the box in his hands. "Can you keep me posted? I just wanna know..that she'll be okay.."

For a brief moment something akin to sympathy crossed Tony's face as he looked at Clint. "Yeah, we'll keep you posted," Tony clapped him on the shoulder. "Take it easy, Barton."

Clint left, while Tony and Natasha carried the rest of the boxes inside.

"Food time," Tony announced setting down the boxes.

"What is this?" Enticed by the aroma, Thor lifted open a lid. It was a thin hand tossed white clam pizza. He folded the entire pizza in half and took a large bite in the middle. His eyes widened pleasantly surprised by the taste. "I like this." He slid the stack of pizza boxes Tony set down to his side of the table indicating that was his share. Tony ordered so much that there was still plenty for everyone else.

Natasha flipped through the boxes and found a plain cheese one to take upstairs.

"Where are you going? Is Jane and Hermione not coming down?" Thor asked when he saw Natasha grab some refreshments and an entire box of pizza before heading out of the kitchen.

Natasha turned around. "Do you want me to get them?"

Thor tried to shrug nonchalantly. "Only if they want to come down…" He stuffed another slice of pizza in his mouth.

Natasha exited the kitchen smiling subtly to herself.

* * *

Hermione was sitting in the middle of the bed wearing Jane's old NASA t-shirt from her internship at Johnson Space Center. Hermione had picked it out herself.

"There," Jane said as she tied the end of Hermione's braid with an elastic she wore around her wrist. It was not her neatest work.

Hermione pouted when she touched it. "That's not how my mum does it." She blinked a couple of times her bottom lip trembling.

Sensing her distress, Jane wasn't sure what she should do. She lost her mother when she was nine, and no one ever did her hair. Jane had always been a bit of a tomboy anyways.

Luckily, Natasha came in to save the day. "How does your mom do it?" She came in carrying a box of pizza in one hand and a few bottles of water in the other.

"She french braids it," Hermione said tugging at her loose braid that was already unraveling much like herself.

"Well you're in luck. French braids happen to be one of my specialties." Natasha placed the pizza on the bed and flipped open the lid.

Hermione was so hungry she forgot her manners and immediately grabbed a piece. Neither Natasha or Jane minded though. They were happy that she was eating thinking that was a good sign.

"There's more downstairs." Natasha slid onto the bed next to Jane. They had claimed the master bedroom on the third floor not wanting to make Hermione climb anymore stairs as the rest were located on the upper floors.

Natasha brushed Hermione's hair as she ate. "Jane, if you want to go speak to Thor, I have everything under control here." Her fingers effortlessly twisted Hermione's unruly hair.

Jane leaned back against the headboard. "I'm actually really tired. I think the jet lag has finally caught up with me."

The corner of Natasha's mouth quirked in amusement. "He's avoiding you too."

Jane huffed, "I'm not avoiding him."

Natasha didn't say anything else instead focused on creating perfect symmetrical plaits while Hermione munched on a slice of pizza that was the size of her face.

Jane sighed, "fine, but this is still my spot." She got up to go look for Thor. There were way too many flights of stairs Jane thought as she descended the final one that led to the garden floor. The kitchen door was propped open. She paused outside the kitchen where Thor, Bruce, and Tony were eating and conversing.

"We're forgetting the most important thing here," Bruce said. "She's a child. She needs parents. She needs someone to take care of her."

"I agree with you," Tony responded. "We absolutely cannot give her to S.H.I.E.L.D." Tony emphasized clearly not trusting the government organization. "But taking her to another planet though might be a shock. She's been through a lot already. There's a middle ground in all of this."

"Kids are pretty resilient actually. Where I've been and what I've seen. Children lose their parents everyday. A lot of them are forced to survive on the street and a lot of them don't make it." Bruce turned to Thor, "but you are giving her another chance. She won't become another statistic."

Tony took a sip of his beer. "Why are you doing this, Thor?"

"We Asgardians are gifted a long life. A life that spans thousands of years. If I spend her entire lifetime making amends, it would not take even the barest fraction of my life. It's also the right thing to do. I spent nearly my entire life dedicated to the destruction and slaying of my enemies." Thor smiled ruefully before finishing off his beer. "Mercy has no place in war. Yet my father saved a baby from the frozen landscapes of Jotunheim and raised him as his own. I will follow his example."

"Clearly, some mistakes were made," he said as a subtle jab at Thor's family.

Thor silently glowered at Tony.

Tony shrugged,"I'm just saying. Your brother was adopted into your family and look how he turned out."

"We won't make the same mistake. Odin hid Loki's origins from him. We won't lie to her." Odin also blatantly favored Thor, but that went unsaid.

"That's because you can't," Bruce pointed out. "She's going to remember this. What your brother did. What Clint did. Are you absolutely sure you want to do this, Thor?"

"Yes," Thor said without hesitation.

Tony considered his answer for a moment. "Okay, I'll see what legal entanglements we need to bypass. Not that our laws mean anything to you," he glanced at Thor. "Jane, you want a beer?" he said without looking in her direction.

"I didn't want to interrupt," Jane said smoothly when she entered the kitchen. Thor immediately stood up. "Hello Jane," a goofy grin formed on Thor's face when she smiled at him.

"Hungry? I saved a couple of slices from these two." Tony got up and opened the fridge to get her a beer.

"Thank you," she took a sip from the bottle and sat down across from Thor and helped herself to some leftover pizza.

"Everything okay upstairs?" Bruce asked.

She swallowed a bite of her food before answering. "So far so good. I got her cleaned and dressed. She even showed me a little of her magic. Natasha is with her now." She gave Thor a meaningful look, "I think she's going to be fine."

* * *

**AN: I just want to thank everyone for reading and leaving comments. I mean we don't even know each other, but your kind words have kept me going:)**


	7. Black Widow

Hermione finished eating when Natasha finished plaiting her hair. Natasha cleaned up everything before taking her back into the bathroom to get her washed up. Turning on the tap, she carefully lifted Hermione up so she could reach the sink. Setting her down, she took a clean washcloth and dampened it so she could wipe her mouth clean.

Natasha was about to get her started on brushing her teeth, but then she thought of something else. "You're not going to sleep are you?"

Hermione shook her head.

"That's okay, you've slept more than enough. What do you want to do?"

"Go home."

Leaning against the marble countertop Natasha tapped her fingers against the polished surface."I'm afraid that's not going to happen."

Hermione looked down her shoulders slumping. "Why not?"

Natasha knew better than to try to answer that question, so she deflected."Do you know what I like to do when I'm feeling sad?"

Hermione looked up at her with a mildly curious expression.

Natasha leaned down and whispered, "it's a secret, but I'll tell you."

* * *

Natasha stood with Hermione at the top of the last flight of stairs that led down to the foyer and front door.

"Remember, do not let go of my hand unless I say so," Natasha reminded Hermione knowing the first rule of having children was not letting them out of your sight in public places. Being a spy gave her an ugly perspective of the world and cultivated a healthy distrust of people in general.

Hermione nodded and took Natasha's hand.

Natasha placed a finger to her lips to indicate that they have to be quiet as they descended the stairs in the dark because for some reason children really liked games where they need to be sneaky.

They made it to the door when Tony turned on the lights. "Where are you going?" For all the times he complained of being tired earlier, his need to control everything and overall paranoia won out.

Natasha looked over her shoulder. "For a walk."

"This late at night? With Hermione?" His tone really made it known that he didn't trust her.

She turned around to face him."She's slept for at least two days straight. I thought I could take her somewhere fun. You know, a distraction." Her face gave nothing away. "I'm also not asking for permission."

"I don't trust you. Just earlier today Fury and Hill were here trying to take her."

"What?" Hermione piped up picking up that they were talking about her.

"No one is going to take you, sweetheart," Tony cooed at the child before glaring at Natasha.

The kitchen door swung open. "I'll go with them," Bruce volunteered. He came out wiping his hands on a towel after finishing the dishes because he was a good houseguest. "I could use a walk after all that pizza and beer."

Natasha picked up Hermione and balanced her on her hip. "That works for me." She unlocked the front door and walked out without waiting for Bruce.

"You better bring her back by dawn!" Tony called after her like a disgruntled parent.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Bruce said as he followed her out.

It was not a very long walk by New York standards. Most of upper Manhattan largely survived unscathed from the invasion in Midtown, part of the reason why Tony chose this particular house as free Airbnb lodging for his new colleagues. To Banner's surprise, they stopped in front of a dance school.

"Are we breaking and entering?" Bruce whispered holding Hermione. They really needed to get her proper shoes and clothes.

"It's not breaking and entering if you have a key," Natasha said coolly. "My friend owns this place." Sure enough she did have a key and the code to disable the security alarm. "I come here to practice when I have time. And with my schedule, it's sometimes in the middle of the night," Natasha didn't explain any further.

Bruce looked around and behind him still feeling very conspicuous before following Natasha inside.

Natasha flicked on the lights illuminating the empty space. The studio was just large enough to accommodate twenty or so students given the price of real estate in New York. "Go ahead, pick whatever you want to wear," Natasha gently prodded Hermione to go into the open closet in the back. It was filled with tutus and dance costumes, while Natasha connected the speaker adapter to her phone. Soon the small studio was filled with the melodies of Tchaikovsky.

"Wow, I didn't know you danced," Bruce said surprised. He was half expecting to end up at a gun range for target practice, but this oddly made sense too. Natasha was so poised and composed that even her ass kicking looked like moving art.

Natasha went to her locker and pulled out a clean change of clothes before disappearing into the back dressing room. "Well, we've only just met," she half yelled from behind the closed door. She came out in fitted black lululemon leggings and a relaxed fit tee. "And not exactly under the best circumstances. This is more of a fourth or fifth date reveal."

Bruce let out a nervous laugh not sure if she was actually flirting with him. She was constantly surprising him. He watched as she sauntered back to her locker to grab a pair of worn pointe shoes before sitting down gracefully on the ground to put them on.

"Hermione?" she called in the middle of her warm up and stretches.

Still wearing Jane's t-shirt, Hermione scampered back out onto the dance floor with a blue green colored tutu skirt bound around her shoulders with one arm tucked underneath the layers of tulle making her look like a small lopsided christmas tree.

"Bruce could you help her with that? There's also shoes in the back for the kids." Natasha said without looking up. Her face was pressed to her knees in a seated forward fold.

Bruce pulled her other arm through and readjusted the skirt so it fit around Hermione's waist. "Look at you. You look like a little princess," he said cheerfully. She waited patiently while Bruce scanned the shelves where there seemed to be endless boxes of shoes. Out of his depth he called for Natasha, "uh, I'm not sure which ones will fit her."

Natasha came in a picked up a box that had Hermione's exact size. She helped her into the new ballet slippers. "You ready?" Natasha asked.

Nodding yes Hermione took Natasha's hand and they went over to the barre together. She had just started a few ballet classes back in England. Her parents wanted her to be well rounded and activity oriented thinking that too many parents let their children go to school and come home to only do homework and watch television. Those families were of course mostly working class, but not the Grangers though. They've been trying lots of different classes from piano, gymnastics, swimming just to see what sticks. Her mum had been a pretty accomplished concert flautist and her dad played football all the way through uni.

Natasha and Hermione faced each other at the barre which was attached to full length mirrors. "Arms up. First position," Natasha instructed. Joining her heels and turning out her toes, she formed a circle with her arms like she was hugging a beach ball.

Hermione mirrored all of Natasha's movements.

"Back straight, extend your neck, good. Raise your arms a little more." Natasha counted out cues timed to the beat of the music as they ran through drills moving back and forth from first and second position. "You can come join us, Banner. If you want," Natasha said not missing a beat.

"Uh..no thanks." He was fine just watching. "I'm not the dancing type."

"Doesn't matter. Ballet is an excellent discipline. It teaches you lots of things, namely discipline, coordination, form, control. It builds strength, stamina, flexibility. Keep your toes pointed, Hermione. Perfect. In. Out. Stretch and close. Demi plie." Natasha continued to call out the moves performing them with her. Some children need structure to thrive, and she had a hunch Hermione might be one of them. This what she needed, Natasha thought. A good distraction, something to keep her mind off of her parents. That was her plan anyways because she was not sure what she would do if Hermione started crying. Of the six of them, Clint was most well equipped to handle children, so this was going to be a challenge for all of them.

Bruce caved and took a spot behind Hermione at the barre and attempted to follow along. He winced when he squatted too deeply in a plie. There were a few audible cracks and pops, but it was worth it for Bruce to see Hermione laugh as she watched him struggle in the mirror.

"I'm bored," Hermione said after a while. Natasha was expecting that. "Do you know why we do these exercises over and over again?" She had not intended to make this a bigger lesson for her, since they were supposed to be having fun.

Hermione shook her head, but continued to follow Natasha's movements.

"They make you stronger and ready to do the really fun stuff," with that said Natasha went on pointe and bourree away from the barre. She did a few horizontal jumps, arabesques, and finished with a triple pirouette landing in fourth position.

Bruce and Hermione clapped. Awe-struck Hermione tried to follow her example and frowned when she couldn't do it. Her grand jete had no lift and she lacked the balance to complete the turns. Natasha caught her as she came out of a spin. "See, you're not ready yet." Her tone firm, but not critical.

Hermione pouted slumping into Natasha's arms.

Looking down at her, Natasha sighed,"alright, we can have a little playtime on the floor."

Hermione's face immediately lit up.

Natasha taught her the remaining positions and how to do some proper turns. She was not ready to learn them yet, but tonight was about having fun, so she guided her through some showier moves and played with a few lifts. Even Banner joined in for those. Mostly Hermione pretended to be an airplane while they took turns hoisting her over their heads. They even got a few more smiles and giggles out of her.

Eventually, Natasha gracefully collapsed onto the ground having done too many fouettes on demand. Hermione seemed to really like those. Sitting in a wide straddle position she lowered her stomach and chest onto the floor to get in a satisfying stretch. Resting her head on folded arms on the ground she got a sideways view of Hermione turning with one leg tucked. She had the technique expected of a fire year old novice and a very determined look on her face as she spun like a lopsided dreidel.

"I think we should head back." Bruce had surrendered himself to exhaustion laying himself down on the floor long before Natasha did. They were both enhanced individuals, but they both have had a _very _long day."After falling out of the helicarrier twice and fighting an army of aliens, I'm actually kinda tired."

Natasha flipped her head over to look at him. "Sleep would be nice," she agreed. "Do you want to tell her that we have to go now?"

Bruce lifted his head to see Hermione still practicing very badly, but with the same intensity from before. He laid his head back down and sighed, "only if you carry her home."

* * *

Standing on top of the stoop, Pepper shifted all the bags to one hand so she could fish out her key. It was still early in the morning. A blue grey tone light bathed the beautiful white stone facades of the upper west side while the bright morning sunlight just peaked out behind the taller buildings. Opening the door and walking inside she called out, "hello?"

Minutes later Tony jogged down the stairs muttering something about five stories and no elevator. Pepper dropped the bags on the ground and hugged him. "Don't you ever do that again Anthony Stark!" she slapped his chest a few times.

"What? Save the world?" he said cheekily. Then he kissed her.

"That was reckless," she said, knowing that it would not stop him from doing it again. She dug through the bags. "I was able to get into Barney's before they opened today. Surprisingly, the aliens missed all of Madison Avenue. They didn't have a huge selection, but I got a few things and some extras in different sizes. Where is she?"

"On their way back. Banner just texted me."

Pepper took a deep breath,"there's something else you should see."

They walked into the kitchen where there was a small tv and turned it on.

Tony scratched his beard. "I had expected this much."

"_Renowned Nuclear Physicist Heinrich Schafer has survived the attack and is in a stable, but critical condition at Germany's top hospital. Others were not so lucky."_

"_German authorities are still searching for the missing girl. She disappeared the same night as the attack that killed both Evelyn and Jonathan Granger. Two English dentists on holiday with their daughter and friends in Germany." _

"_Until a body is found, we will continue searching."_

"_In other news, the death toll continues to rise in the aftermath of the invasion."_

"_There are so many unanswered questions."_

"We're back," Bruce poked his head through the kitchen door. "What are you watching?"

Tony shut off the TV. "The news. Did you have fun?" Tony asked his attention directed toward Hermione.

Still clutching Natasha's hand, she nodded shyly. Her demeanor changed when she saw yet another unfamiliar face.

Pepper approached the three that were still by the doorway. She bent at the waist and smiled. "Hi, I'm Pepper." She looked at how haphazardly dressed she was and her heart broke a little remembering why she was here.

"Hi," she replied swishing her tutu skirt. "I'm Hermione."

"I think she's tired. We let her stay up all night." That translated to _I'm tired. I stayed up all night _on Natasha's usually unreadable face.

Pepper rose to her full height to speak to Natasha. "I bought her some clothes. I think they'll fit." Pepper walked out with the two of them back into the foyer, while Bruce stayed behind to discuss with Tony what they were planning to do that day with the tesseract.

Pepper picked up the shopping bags next to the staircase.

"What do you say?" Natasha prompted. She took the bags from Pepper.

"Thank you, Ms. Pepper."

Pepper smiled, "you're welcome. Let me know if you need anything else."

"An elevator, maybe?" Natasha's lips quirked into a subtle smile.

Pepper laughed. "Tony has complained about the same thing ever since he inherited this house." She ran her fingers along the dark wooden bannister. "Even after all the extensive renovations, he still won't put one in. Maria Stark was adamant about maintaining the historic integrity of the house."

"That explains it," Natasha said as she helped Hermione up the stairs. When they reached the third floor where the master bedroom was. She opened the door and found the bed undisturbed.

The stairs creaked as Jane descended them dressed in comfy pajama pants and a t-shirt. She heard the arrival of Hermione and Natasha and went down to meet them.

"So much for saving your spot," Natasha glanced at the fully made bed. "Where's Thor?"

Jane rolled her eyes, but smiled. "He left early this morning to go look for…" She stopped herself when Hermione peered up at her.

Natasha understood. "We had a big night too."

"We did ballet!" Hermione twirled. "Oops." She put a hand to her mouth. "Sorry that was supposed to be a secret." She looked at Natasha apologetically.

"That's okay. Jane is trustworthy."

Jane smiled at Hermione, "that must have been fun. I love ballet. Maybe I'll come with you guys next time." She lifted her gaze to meet Natasha's. "How about we let Natasha get some rest?"

Natasha looked a Jane tiredness crept into her body. "Do you mind? I think I'm going to crash."

"No, of course not," Jane took Hermione's hand and the Barney bags. "Get some rest."

"Thanks," Natasha went inside the bedroom and closed the door to catch up on much needed sleep.

"Let's see what's inside of these bags," Jane said as they climbed yet another flight of stairs to get to Jane and Thor's room.

The house was quiet for the rest of the morning.

Flying through the air Thor spotted his destination and landed on the roof of Tony's house.

"THOR!"

Thor walked over to the edge and looked down where Tony was yelling at him.

"I saw you! You better not have left scorch marks on my roof! Now get down because the door's locked up there."

Thor jumped and landed next to Steve and Tony, who were both carrying shopping bags.

"Any leads?" Tony asked as he unlocked the door to let everyone in.

Natasha greeted them near the door having just grabbed a cup of coffee from the kitchen and was making her way back upstairs.

"No, it was a fruitless search," Thor answered tonelessly frustrated that his brother had outwitted him again. "What were you two doing?"

"Toy shopping. We had to go all the way to Brooklyn. The Toys R Us in Times Square was destroyed because those Chitauri are such joyless assholes. That and Amazon has done a number to retail stores the last couple of years, so toy stores are a thing of the past," he said that as if the entire trip had been a chore for him despite having gone a little crazy like a kid in a toy store.

"That's quite a haul, Stark. Did you buy the entire toy store?" she tapped her fingers against the ceramic cup she nursed in her hands.

"Rogers here only wanted to buy her dolls and tea sets. I'll give you a free pass since you slept through the second wave feminist movement," he turned to Natasha the only female in the room. "I can say that because my girlfriend runs my company."

Natasha rolled her eyes while sipping her coffee.

"I on the other hand bought puzzles, a Nintendo DS with the trifecta, Pokemon, Mario, and Zelda. And every kid's favorite toy." He stuffed his hand down one of the bags and dug out a box of, "legos."

"The owner of the store was kind enough to help me pick out some books," Steve added.

"Hm..Yeah, who wouldn't want to help this set of muscles here. She was pretty star struck at Captain America being in her store. I'm pretty sure she wrote her number on the back of that receipt." Tony glanced at the long sleeve of paper that stuck out of one of the bags

Steve folded the piece of paper and hastily stuffed it in his pocket. "Anyways, these books that we bought should explain death to her in a way that is appropriate and easy to digest for someone her age. I think we can do better than what happened on the helicarrier." He pulled out an assortment of books with illustrated covers that had titles like _The Goodbye Book, When Dinosaurs Die, Waterbugs and Dragonflies,_ and _The Invisible String_. "So...Who wants to go read to her?"

"I'll go," Thor volunteered to everyone's relief. He took the stack from Steve. "Where is she?"

"In your room actually. She's with Jane." Natasha started up the stairs.

Natasha and Thor went up together. They found them on the bed watching old episodes of Magic School Bus on Jane's macbook. There were papers strewn on the bed since Jane was also going over some of her research. She did feel a little guilty parking Hermione in front of the laptop even if it was educational just so she could get some much needed work done. They had spent the morning trying on her new clothes and looking at satellite photos of distant galaxies Jane had captured for her research, so she was behind.

Jane lit up when she saw Thor. She had been waiting for him to get back. "Hey, look who's here, Hermione. It's Thor."

Hermione glanced up from the screen since Jane hit pause with an almost vacant expression.

"I just got a call from Erik and they need me at the lab. You'll watch her, right?" Bruce and Selvig were already at Stark Tower working with the tesseract.

"I'll drive you," Natasha offered.

"Thanks, I'll be back," Jane reassured Hermione, who was not happy that she was leaving. She closed her laptop and shoved it into her bag. "We'll finish this later. You have fun with Thor."With a smile she brushed her fingertips across Hermione's forehead tucking some stray strands behind her ear and giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. She gave Thor a quick peck on the lips before following Natasha out.

Then it was just the two of them again. Hermione stared at Thor. Their previous interaction had been tense, and it was clear she preferred Jane and Natasha.

Thor set the books down carefully on the bed as if he were making a peace offering to a hostile animal. "These are for you. I hope you like books." He smiled at her hopefully.

Hermione loved them. Curious, she grabbed one and started reading out loud flipping through the pages until she realized what it was she was reading. She stopped mid sentence and turned her head towards Thor.

"Mummy's cat Dingy died from cancer." Dingy, full name Schrodinger, was the Granger's 15 year old Maine Coon. He had long grey fur like a tattered wash rag and was their baby before Hermione was born. "We buried him in a box under his favorite tree in our backyard." She looked up at him, "are they going to bury my mum and dad in a box?"

Thor didn't know what to say. He was not too familiar with their specific customs, but he was aware of the overall cultural difference of how death was perceived. Humans lived much shorter lifespans and often viewed death as something fearful and tragic while Asgardians see it as a celebration, an end to a long full life, and an honor to die especially in battle.

Hermione turned back to the book flipping to the next page. "I can read on my own."

Thor watched her eyes move across the page and her mouthing some of the words. There weren't any more tears left in her.

"Can you go away now?" she shifted on the bed turning her back to him acting as if he was already gone even though this was his room.

Thor thought about giving up, but then decided against it. He deftly took the book from her closing it and setting it aside before he picked her up.

"Hey," she grumbled but didn't resist. She had been picked up and held by practically everyone now.

He had never encountered such a recalcitrant child before forgetting himself and Loki were quite a handful even for Odin.

"I want you to read to me. How about this one?" He looked through the stack of books Tony and Steve had bought and pulled out a chapter book from the pile. The cover was an illustration of a girl holding a pig surrounded by other farm animals and a spider hanging from its web. Thor thought it would be light and uplifting tale of a girl and her pet pig and not animal husbandry. He would later learn that it was neither.

He sat down in a comfy armchair next to the empty fireplace with her in his lap. "Read it to me," he prompted firmly.

"Read it yourself." She folded her arms but made no move to get off of him.

"But I want you to read it to me. I'm not from here, so my language skills are not as good as yours, and I want to hear this story," Thor fibbed unconvincingly. Lies were best left to his younger brother.

"Fine." Hermione knew he was lying, but couldn't resist showing off her reading skills. She begrudgingly opened the book and started reading slowly. The book was beyond her current reading capabilities. Her mum had started reading chapter books to her as early as age three. Undaunted by the challenge she worked through the sentences one word at a time until she realized that it was the volume of words that was different not so much the words themselves with a few exceptions here and there, which Thor corrected her for further proving that he was lying before.

Nevertheless, Thor did not have infinite patience and eventually fell asleep.

She climbed off his lap and placed the book on his knee page down to mark her spot. Poking her head out the door, she saw that no one was around and made her escape down the stairs. Hermione didn't know how, but she was going to go home.

She reached the door and tried to turn the handle. It was locked, but the deadbolt was beyond her reach. She knew if she just concentrated hard enough or wished hard enough she could make the lock disappear just like last time.

"Where are you going?" It was just Tony, who had a habit of patrolling his hallway. Steve had left with Natasha and Jane. Pepper was busy putting out the PR fire they saw on the news today.

"Home," she said not looking the least bit guilty.

Hands in his pocket Tony looked down and considered his response before he said,"England is a pretty long walk. I think maybe you should eat something before you go so you're not tired and hungry." Tony being a permanent bachelor normally detested kids, but maybe it was because they shared the same trauma of losing both parents at the same time, he seemed to tolerate her. "Come on, I'll make you a grilled cheese on the house."

Tony went back inside the kitchen and got out a non stick skillet. Setting it on the stove, he twisted the knob to get a small flame going. Then he opened the fridge, which was stocked full of food delivered from a nearby deli earlier that morning. He rifled through the shelves until he found some cheese and butter. There was a fresh loaf of bread on the counter Steve had picked up on his morning jog from a bakery closeby. Tony wasn't much of a cook, but having studied rocket science he knew making a grilled cheese was not that. It did help that left on his own he did have a diet of a five year old.

There was some shuffling behind the door before it was pushed opened. She climbed onto one of the kitchen stools to watch. Tony continued to fry up the grilled cheese sandwiches with his back turned pressing his spatula against the bread to get that smushed melted cheesy goodness and evenly toasted in the melted brown butter. He turned off the stove with a soft click and took the pan off the heat. Tilting the pan, the sandwiches slid off the teflon and onto the plates he set out.

"Voila," he said dumping the pan in the sink.

Hermione stared at it. "My mum cuts off the crusts."

"Huh." Tony thought for a moment. "So did my mom." He took out a knife and cut both their crusts off. "I guess I forgot to cut them diagonally too."

"Can you cut mine in half?" Hermione looked up at Tony, "please?" Her English accent made her sound even more polite.

"Sure." He made a diagonal cut for his and cut her's straight down the middle.

"Thank you." Hermione picked up a sandwich half with both hands and started eating.

Tony opened the fridge."Milk?"

"Yes, please."

He poured her a glass.

"Thank you."

They both chewed their sandwiches in silence, while Tony tried to come up with other ways to deter her from escaping. He glanced over at the bags of toys still sitting on the kitchen table where they left them earlier as he finished his sandwich. "Wanna play Mario Kart?"


End file.
